Silly Songbird
by Straist
Summary: I thought reincarnation meant that you started as a baby? It would have been much easier that way, and to make matters worse, apparently the joker who sent me here thought it would be funny if I ended up being one of the most ineffective antagonists in anime history. Well, we'll see who has the last laugh when I'm done with this universe. Back!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: ...Change you, like a Remix...

* * *

There was no way.

 _"Would you look at that Ruru, Rev? That's your little brother. He is one of us, a precious gift and heavy responsibility. Make sure to always be good to him, okay?"_

There was just no possible, conceivable, sensible way this was happening.

 _"You can't just do something like THAT Rye! Are you trying to get yourself killed? You would have probably wiped half of the estate off the map! Promise me, don't do something like that again. Please don't make your mother and I worry."_

I know I died and whoever thought it was a good idea to leave the defenseless crazy with a more unstable of frighteningly violent one should have been getting an earful right about now. The though of some random orderly having trouble cleaning up the bloody mess that was my body was amusing but that didn't take away the pain of that particular experience.

 _"Onii-chama! Look what Rae made for Onii-chama! Do you like it?"_

Multiple stabbings that is, ending with one straight through the eye and out the back of my skull. Simply put, I felt every single moment of it: It hurt -more than enough for one lifetime thank you very much- but more than that, I know I _felt every excruciating moment_ of that bloody torture.

 _"Hey, don't cry anymore Rye. You're a big boy now, you're not even supposed to be this much of a baby anymore. I know, your best onii-sama will show you a trick. Just hold out your hand for me and I'll make all the pain go away just like that!"_

I'm repeating myself, I know, but I felt it:I felt it all happen.

 _Look at your brothers, son. One is a rising star in every sense of the word, a fire burning hotter than any other. The other holds the heart of the masses in his palms, a man loved by all. Work hard, and I am certain you will be just as great in time._

Which means that it definitely happened. I'm insane, an idiot savant some may say and very proud of it, but I know it happened.

 _Rye, my sweet little bird, look at me. Mommy will always love you no matter what happens, alright? Your father and brothers might be a little bit too tough on the outside, but they love you too. Though the heavens may fall upon us, we will always love you._

I was dead.

 _You two idiots listen up. The fire is the heart and soul of our family, while the wind is the shield that protects us and allows us to grow. Apart they are powerful but brought together there is almost nothing that can stand against us. You two will learn that I'm not as gentle as Father is; You will learn even if I have to carve the lessons into your bodies with a blunt spoon. Let us begin._

I am dead.

 _You're at that stage, already? I'm so proud, our little Rye is all grown up! Alright, the way to any woman's heart is though her ears. Whisper sweet nothings to her, convince her that you are THE ONE and she'll be eating out of your hands in no time. You're our cute little brother after all, I'm sure we'll have to be beating your suitors's other prospects back with a stick after you steal the heart of every lady in there!_

So what the hell are all these voices coming from? Are these memories of someone? Don't look at me, they're definitely not mine. Who the hell is Rye anyway, and what kind of parents named their kids after bread of all things?

Ignoring the strangeness of the situation for a moment -damn audio-only memories- I opened my eyes and took a look around to verify that, yes, I was indeed looking into the deep abyss that was supposed to be life after death. Or at least, strangely enough, I _hoped_ this was the deep nothingness that awaited all those who did nothing with their lives.

Maybe the Void for those who were mentally ill? I could always blame the former on the latter anyway.

True, it would be boring, but at the very least it wasn't the eternal damnation many were afraid of. It also wouldn't be the type of reincarnation that people feared, turning into insects, animals, maybe even inanimate objects and stuff like that.

Both options seemed to be less and less viable as I found that the memories wouldn't stop flowing in, the noisy things. They didn't even come dream cycle style, but in clipped audio only, like some radio on the fritz, and everything that did manage to go through was some useless piece of a much larger puzzle. Things were repeated, Rye, Mommy, Brother, Father, some other names I didn't bother thinking about, fire, wind, and family, but as a whole they were quite useless and definitely unconnected. It was like hearing, not even watching, someone's life playing out, through in sentences and cuts and quite frankly, it was starting to get annoying.

I never liked not knowing things, kind of a peeve of mine, so I was starting to get more than a little hysterical that I was stuck in some void who knows where awaiting a fate I wasn't even sure of anymore.

It took an eternity, well not really, but finally a change happened. In the middle of the infinite inky blackness there was something: a white dot.

I stared expectantly at the single speck of light, a mote of a glow not even as bright as a firefly, slowly and painfully grew to erase the darkness. It was a long drawn out change, but as days, weeks, months, and years past, not a single sliver of darkness was left and...

Finally the voices stopped.

Alright, everything was white, no more voices, that should mean preparations are complete, right?

I don't have to stay stuck in this boring purgatory anymore and I'll be whisked away to whatever fate that awaits right?

Please don't tell me I have to stay...

You know what? Fuck it, I'm way to tired for this. All this crazy -more crazy than I'm used to mind you- was giving me a headache.

Now just rub it away... Yeah, that's the stuff: Fingers on temples, an ample amount of pressure, and smooth circular motions.

You know, if I wasn't crazy I would have probably gotten work as a masseur for hot models or something. My fingers have always had this special magic and after no time at all I began to... feel... better...

...

...

...

God, I'm such an idiot sometimes.

* * *

Alright, here's what I have so far.

It's about ten in the evening, on account of a super fancy and old grandfather clock in the far corner.

I'm in some room -maybe calling it a first class suite would be better- considering the sheer class of the decor that definitely does not compare to my old room in the hospital.

Finally, I've been reincarnated though not in the, dare I say it, normal way.

I got up with a jolt in a bed much too big for a single person after realizing my idiocy, but instead of looking around first like any normal boring person would, the first thing I did was touch myself.

Yes, _there_ first to make sure I still had it -FYI, castration the word really does sound as painful as the actual process- but I also made sure to explore other areas like my torso, neck, shoulders, and of course my eye. They were all fine, never better I would say since there was absolutely no evidence of my previous injuries. It's almost as if they never happened in the first place, and if that wasn't enough I was even _better than before._ After a more thorough examination was surprised to feel a bit more muscle around my bones, as well as a bit more strength in my hands, and an altogether lack of tubes attached to my arms.

That was when I started to get worried, though fact that I could even reach my... unmentionables without any noticeable effort on my part should have been the first warning bell.

I was stick thin once, useful for nothing more than keeping a bed occupied and idling the time away. This sudden change, though apparently good, was bad because that implied that something happened. Something must have changed.

An that fact couldn't be even more underlined as it was when I looked up to see the chandelier in all it's glory.

A beautiful piece it was, though it was hard to enjoy the elegance of each dipping curve and flowing bend when I realized that I could see perfectly clear while not a single mounted candle was lit.

That was when I truly humored the thought of reincarnation, even if it looked to be classified as one of the stranger cases.

Newsflash, I wasn't a baby, but a fully grown man.

To be perfectly honest, I had no idea how to feel about this.

I mean, sure, on one side I don't have to be trained in the ways of growing up and I don't have to be watched all the time, but being a baby has its advantages. Being unassuming is the best one, the right to say anything and everything you want and the worst that could happen is being labeled overly curious or genius, was a close second. Another and easily more important one would be the lack of personality, where I could be anyone I wanted to be without fear of drawing suspicion. I mean, this looks like the body of a man, and thank goodness gender-bending didn't occur, but whoever he is, or was, he must have had people who knew him and people who would notice that he is no longer him but me.

I may just have committed identity theft, except I'm not even just pretending to be someone but actually am someone entirely different.

On the other hand, the body was great; topnotch even.

I felt none of the fatigue I usually felt all the time and my head was clearer than it has even been my entire life. In the dark I could see as if the lights were all on, and if I was honest with myself, something told me that I could take on the world and still come out on top. I did fell a bit warm though -very strange when I was entirely naked and all- but there was some sort of heat ebbing and rising around me like a pulse that carried fire instead of blood.

Come to think of it, there was _something off_ about me, something that didn't really fell right but not exactly foreign either. I can't really describe it but it was like having a second heart, pumping something that wasn't blood all around me.

It felt wonderful.

That Not-Blood was in the air too, it couldn't be seen, or heard, or sniffed, or tasted, but it was there and I could feel it. It was everywhere, and as overwhelming as this new sense was, it provided me some comfort, some familiarity and warmth that just seemed right no matter how off it was. It was almost like the Air wanted me to breathe it, like it was embracing me as a mother would a precious child. I would have stayed there, standing naked and enjoying whatever this feeling was if I didn't remember that this body wasn't mine.

And really It wasn't.

I wasn't some toned guy who excluded confidence, I was some shriveled husk of a person who couldn't even function properly in society. I wasn't some rich millionaire who could afford a room jam packed with furnishings that seemed to date back to the baroque period, I could barely keep my room in the hospital with how low my funds were dropping as that bullshit treatment just kept getting more expensive. I didn't even grow into whatever, or whoever, this was, I just died and whoever controls the afterlife part of reality thought it was a good idea to drop me into someone who has obviously lived, probably two decades by that point.

Alright, enough of that depressing stuff, too much time being wasted whining over split milk and all that.

My current problem would be, first probably hiding my identity. A guy with this much stuff reeked of wealth and power, and being caught in the act of impersonating someone like that would be... well let's not go there. To avoid that at all costs, first I must find out who this person is... and what do you know there is a full body mirror right there!

Ripping the sheets off the bed and securing my waist, I walked over to examine my refl- OH FUCK NO!

The toned physique was all well and good, even better than I expected really with not a hint of fat visible on either my arms or my chest and stomach. My, or his, body was spotless, not a wound or any mark to be seen, just hard lean muscle that better suited a seasoned runner rather than a bulky body builder. The body was tall, or at least about a foot taller than my old one, and with the muscle on this guy, I wouldn't be surprised if he could throw the old me around like a ragdoll.

No, again, the guy's body was great: perfect for an athlete even, but the face. Oh that fucking face.

He was handsome, I have to admit, roguishly good looking with eyes that seemed to pierce they very soul. I could imagine the face I saw in the mirror smirking devilishly at a woman, charming her with a look and just a few careful words. His features were elegant yet striking with hair that almost seemed to shine even with the lack of light. This was a face of a man who had to know he was good looking, the mug of a playboy who could get anyone he laid his eyes on save the one he truly wanted.

It was a face I recognized, and a face I laughed at once upon a time.

Ruru, Rav, Rye, they were fucking nicknames given by a doting mother and father. His siblings were an eldest brother who was a top class fighter, and a second one who practically owned the media beside a strangely dressed girl, while his single younger sister had more tactical prowess than he ever dream of. Fire and wind were tools they used to fight, powers that ran within the family as they stood upon their high place, their leader given the title of Marquess by the Fallen Morning Star himself.

I had to stop myself from screaming as I stared into the face of Riser Phenex, one of the most pathetic characters from a show that had a protagonist basically _powered_ by tits.

Oh yeah, I'm in DXD, Highschool not Shinjuki and I was FUCKING LOSING IT.

One would think being a High-Class Devil would curb the terror that was assaulting me with its ugly deformed claws. I mean, I was a guy who could recover from just about anything, right? A mean, kill it with fire kind of guy who slept with, maybe, an entire chessboard -minus one I guess- worth of women whenever he gets the chance to, who went around seducing women of every type, including his sister -hopefully not.

But this is Riser Fucking Phenex.

There was literally only one knee-jerk reaction to being the soon-to-be-ex-fiance of the sister of Lucifer.

"I'm so fucked." And not even in the good way! This guy is idiot ball personified, well not really, but he is kind of stupid and that's taking the idiot villain persona into account. He goes from instant _WIN_ to _give the good guys a chance and let them have a training montage_. Yes at that time, he was still stronger than all of them but then our boob-obsessed hero somehow unlocks some super power that allows him, the lesser pervert, to overcome the greater pervert, which was now me.

After that, he's thrown under the bus, only to be heard from again when his sister comes to the now badass dragon to ask for mercy. Seriously? A kickass seduction master that you can't help but hate and be jealous of at the same time gets so traumatized that he becomes the devil equivalent of a NEET. Not just that, the little sister in his pseudo-harem gets sucked into this perverted idiot's own harem, a harem he doesn't even know exists because _reasons_ so of course he can't take even advantage of it.

And that's just the story part, the supposed canon, the bright, humorous, and happy part of a world on fire.

There are too many possibilities, so much darkness hidden in the world of sunshine and boobs. The implications of some of the story elements, of the world building are dark, almost grim-dark with how deep the abyss descends, and we're not even talking three novels in yet. If this world was a book then the pages would be gushing, dripping black while the letters would be etched in white, there were too many things unsaid, too many issues swept under the rug to keep the story's happy tone. There were too many deaths left untouched, too much hurt ignored that the reader, ie me, could be allowed to laugh at the antics of the idiot protagonist or stand in awe of the power he had accumulated.

Power that in the end solved nothing but his own problems.

What utter Bullshit.

Oh, make no mistake, I fully intend to walk the same path.

I will get stronger, I will one day stand on top of this world but I'm not going to make the mistake of being a hero. No, power will be accumulated, power will be gained but not for them; not for some faceless masses, not for the race I was not a part of, nothing that heroic. Power will be for me, and those I cherish. It will be so, that I will have power, that the Great Red: DXD itself, Ophis, and the Trihexa combined would not be able to stop me.

I will ascend, that is a promise, a new undisputed fact of this world, even if none of the current inhabitants knew about it.

The question would be how though... Well I'll think about that after a good night's sleep.

It was half past ten after all, no need to be wasting moonlight.

* * *

Insomnia is a bitch.

It seemed that for all my excitement I must have forgotten about the fact that I had trouble sleeping. Hey, don't blame me; the emotional roller-coaster of Dying, Reincarnating into a Full Grown Body, Discovering that said Body was once one of the most Pathetic Antagonists in all of Anime History, and Resolving that I will change said Weakness into such Gary Stu Level OP-ness that even Issei's Progression would seem slow by comparison, had my mind running ragged. Really, it wasn't every day that this sequence of events happened... well not really.

In fact, I'd actually be surprised if it did happen exactly the same somewhere _else_ in this wide multiverse, but I digress.

I couldn't sleep, so I did what I always did when I needed to occupy myself.

I plotted.

I'm evil and conniving, yes, I get that a lot, having nothing to do but wait for death and watch other crazies do their things every day did that to you. Or it broke you, but I wasn't one to really care about that.

Anyway, in line with my newest resolution my musings turned to one being who would soon be the target of most if not all my opening machinations.

The Current Red Dragon Emperor. For all his idiocy, Hyoudou Issei is a being worthy of respect: this much I have to admit.

I may not like the guy very much even if he wouldn't be handing Riser, again now me, a can full of whoop-ass, but I have to admit that he had his strengths. His demonic power in itself is nothing to scoff at, or it won't be anything to scoff at when he reaches around Volume 12 with the Young Devil Gathering, and coupled with his Gear, he really is a monster in his own right. His endurance is frighting and in physical strength he is no slouch either since he did force Sairaog to use his own Gear during their duel. He would learn to breath fire, to mask his presence, to survive in the wilderness and of course, master his own Boosted Gear.

This is all truly impressive especially since he began with less combat potential that a newborn devil baby.

His Sacred Gear aside, I'm most impressed with his three skills, Dragon Shot, Dress Break, and Bilingual, though we can get to them later.

All these pieces seemed to naturally come together to form what looked to be one of the fastest rising combatants in the current world, and the funniest thing was that in the end it was all justified. Most of his strength came from the Boosted Gear after all, and as one of the Godslaying weapons of this world, it was kind of broken. Twice the power for every ten seconds, and that's just base form. Push the damn thing to the limit and you have an unlimited number of boosts given any time frame, limited only by the body's capability to hold the power... which could also be increased via boosting. In a perfect scenario, you basically wielded unlimited power given enough time; if that wasn't bloody broken I have no idea what is.

Here's an example: Lets say, Baal has a power value of one million and Issei is at a measly one hundred, these hypothetical power values being all inclusive and accurate as a measure of combat potential of course. Given the Boosted Gear's boosting power, if Sairaog's power does not change during the duration of the battle, Issei will surpass him in exactly fourteen boosts. If the boosted gear increases its power every ten seconds and not the rapid-fire version when Issei first seriously fought Vali, then that's in excess of two minutes. In this hypothetical situation then, even if Sairaog is stronger than Issei by five orders of magnitude, Issei will win after one hundred forty seconds, or fourteen boosts, whatever comes first.

I can only thank whoever did this to me that the timeline isn't that far ahead yet; if I'm not wrong, I don't think that I've even made my appearance yet.

I'm not exactly too sure where, or is it when, I am in the current timeline, but I knew for a fact that I wasn't defeated by the pervert just yet.

The room was still nice, well kept, and clean. It was altogether impossible to be the den of a recluse suffering from some sort of trauma. I've been there, and if someone of my new station was brought to his knees then I'm pretty sure there would be more scorch marks lying around, sheets would be torn, and whatever else lay around would be broken. If this was before or after this idiot issued the ten day leeway, I would have to find out when I get in contact with the rest of my new peerage...

A peerage I know very little about even if I have some knowledge of this topsyturvy universe.

Damn it all, this may end up being harder than I thought.

Hey, they never said that the road to omnipotence was easy.

* * *

That's all for chapter one of yet another SI-fic, hope you all enjoyed reading.

I'm not exactly a veteran of fanfics, but I've never seen someone try to spotlight Riser, so like one of the better writers in this community (Hi Fahad09) I decided to write my own. Credit to him(her), and VideoGameNut for inspiring me to write this one out, they're awesome and you should really check out their work.

I'll try to get the next chapter out in a few days, depending on the response: this is really just a tryout thing, written for fun with basically no planning.

Any opinions would be appreciated, either in PM or Review, and of course Highschool DXD and whatever other work I reference isn't mine.

See you all next time, assuming there is a next time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: ...Someone who understands, sees through the Master Plan...

* * *

It was when the strange heat that surrounded my body suddenly and permanently vanished that I realized something I should have concluded from the very beginning.

I hated this world's magic system.

I mean, seriously, it sucked.

A lot.

To fully appreciate just how profound my hatred of it was, we must first get into a proper discussion on what magic was _supposed to be_.

Now, for all the complexities of magic, there are usually four things that govern the identity of any certain magic: Source, Ability, Method, and Limitations.

Answering the question 'Where does magic come from?', the Source aspect is self explanatory. Magic can come from Gods, Supernatural Creatures, the Living Energy of the World itself, maybe an entirely separate Universe, or simply everyone. This is, as the name implies, where magic energy comes from and to a lesser extent, how much can be in one 'vessel' at a time.

Ability is more on the topic of who uses magic than true magical ability. This governs those who are able to use the magic, which are more often than not the sources themselves as well as those granted the power. Say if a God blesses a certain... tree, then the tree and the God can both use the magic. They have the _ability_ to use the magic.

Method is the nitty-gritty of it all: the how magic works deal. It can be through rituals, magic words, magic circles, magic signs, magic hand gestures, pure willpower alone, and of course just using some ancient artifact of untold power and the like. To save time, this is where the cause and effect of magic comes in to play, governing how exactly a mage can use the magical energy he has to make a fireball and throw it.

Limitations go hand in hand with Method and is the so-called balance of magic. This last bit tells you the things you can't do, like soul transmutation, resurrection, time travel, using more energy that you can provide or contain, maybe even using multiple schools. This is what explains how everything is still basically balanced, and why the world is the way: it's usually because of what magic can and cannot do.

See that last bit? Please remember the second word from that.

Now,Highschool DXD's system basically takes these things and mixes them up to such a fucked up degree that I'm really surprised that the 'Top 10' isn't always being revised.

Oh and before I forget, let's define Magic as the supernatural forces and stuff, not just the human specific magic.

Sources include but are not limited to, Gods, Devils, Angels, Dragons, Qi or Ki both are Life Energy, Touki or -get this- Fighting Spirit; Not that bad at first glance.

Those able to use this magic are supernatural beings in general and any human who studies enough; That was great since anyone could use magic given enough time and resources.

It would have been perfectly fine by me if it ended there, but anyone who can use magic can also use _any other_ type of magic given some circumstances. It's entirely possible that one human, if given time, could use _all the types_ of magic out there as long as he has enough energy. I have no idea why there has been no Magic God at this point, I'm sure someone would have tried before. Ability just decided to hug everybody and pull of an Oprah: You, You, Everbody gets Everything!

Method is another fucked up point, since only Human wrought magic is governed by circles and calculations. Everything else is Imagination-based.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS DAMN THOUGHT CONTROLLED.

Yeah, let that sink in for a moment: as long as you can _think_ it, and have enough energy, you can do _anything_. Calculations and logic are literally just for the weak humans. And if that wasn't bad enough, there are no Limitations except for energy and power, and sometimes even the it gets crazy. After volume 3 when everyone realized God is dead, shit just stops making sense sometimes. Examples of this are the Holy Demonic Sword and a Devil wielding one of the most powerful Holy swords out there, a sword that should be able to _Annihilate_ any devil with a single grazing cut.

Sense is all gone, all gone people, and never to be seen again.

Really, this place is a Power Gamer's wet dream! There are way too many combinations of spells and systems that would break whatever tenuous balance of power that's keeping this world on the brink of war. Lucky for me, there's an unholy combination of Metagamer and Gamebuster right here.

Oh yeah, I hate the system, but not for it's inherent flaws; no I need those things to slingshot me to the top as quickly as possible. I hate it because it's so damn hard to actually use the magic.

Magic, by imagination is supposed to be easy, right? You think of something and it happens, that makes it simple, no?

Wrong, that just makes the shit that happens all the harder to actually control. I discovered that particular tidbit when I momentarily stopped plotting and thought more about the warmth that surrounded my mostly naked body.

The energy around me, the same strange Not-Blood that filled every nook and cranny of the room was demonic energy, and the same went for the equally mysterious warmth that enveloped me even if I had but a silk blanket to preserve my decency. The warmth was my magic, while what filled the air was either the energy that naturally resided in the Underworld, or the collective magical residue left over from the thousands of Devils and Fallen that could have been exerting their power throughout this foreign dimension; I wasn't exactly sure which one was right.

Maybe it was the second, though I couldn't exactly be sure since whatever 'magical sense' I had was limited to about a millimeter from my skin. All I could tell was that I was subconsciously radiating energy, and as waste energy at that. I couldn't even 'extend' my 'magical senses' through the heat flowing out of me, to maybe take a look at the palace I lived in and those who inhabited it with me.

Seeing as it was ultimately useless energy, I imagined the heat around me disappearing" like instead of a metal cup filled with water where the heat could escape, I imagined myself as a insulated container where heat could not escape.

And it worked, the heat disappeared and the air's cool touch washed over my skin.

IF it was so easy, why was I complaining? Obviously because I ran into a problem.

That problem came when I tried to extend my 'senses' through magic.

Lying on my bed with my eyes lightly shut, I tried to imagine a thin field around me, like some sort of a magical sonar that would allow me to 'see' what was around me without me having to open my eyes. I limited my intended range to just around the bed -so say about a sphere with a five foot diameter from my solar plexus- and tried to use as little magic as possible since this was my first trial. Confident in my ability to measure 'magic' with my mind, I imagined a ball forming in the middle of my chest, and then I let in expand like a wave of sound a sonar ping would send while underwater.

Almost immediately, the scent of burning silk assaulted my nose, and I had no choice but to leap off the bed, eyes darting towards it to asses the damage.

I could feel myself grimace at the ruin a simple 'sensing' attempt had brought about.

Even in the darkness, the black of char and muted orange was visible on once immaculate sheets that once covered the luxurious bed. The intensity of the burn seemed highest in the center where I once lay, darkest black etched into the cloth in the form of a shadowy sphere as the colors faded when the sheets came closer the outer edges of the bed. The cloth was utterly ruined, the true epicenter of the blast cracking as I ran my fingers through the once soft cloth, while even the farthest corners of the bed had been marked, as if a hot iron had lightly pressed itself into the fabric.

Oh, and the heat aura? It was back.

Normally, I would have felt somewhat impressed with myself, that what I imagined to be but a 'drop' of my power could cause such damage, but since I had all but fried my resting place I was somewhat irritated.

I tried again, though this time with my eyes opened, the range reduced to a couple of feet from my chest, and the power halved. I tried to focus on the sensation of power, power that ultimately became heat once more, as it escaped my chest and traveled outwards, looking exactly like a sphere of sound enlarging as it traveled through water. Well, not exactly since I'm pretty sure sound didn't ripple outwards because of the sheer temperature difference between my power and the ambient night air, nor did it visibly distort the appearance of what lay beyond the orb.

Well, Raiser did still beat Issei's ass, even if the pervert had the power to blow up _an_ _entire mountain,_ so I guess this was still in within the realm of reason.

Damn, this boy had more power that most gave him credit for.

It took another three hours to actually build enough control to stop the aura of heat from manifesting, as well as the passive resistance that came with it. I never really thought I would be so happy now that I finally managed to turn of the heater that this guy had build-in, sending my teeth chattering like a rattlesnake's tail as I shivered up a storm. It was fucking cold, and I had nothing on but fuck that, I could finally control the deceptively massive power dedicated to regulate temperature. That must have been a multipurpose spell he had since who knows when, making sure he was always comfortable no matter what the weather... and it was powered with enough energy to probably wreck the entire room thrice over.

This was yet another reason I can't respect this guy, he lets all the power he has waste away after losing.

He lost _fucking ONCE_ and decided that he didn't want to fight anymore.

I didn't think I had to use _this_ so early in the game, but I would be doing this fruitless control exercise for the next few weeks if I continue to try and control magic -sorry, demonic power- in all its abstract glory the conventional way.

Time play a card and go up a level.

I really needed to get this Magic Business down that night; I had other plans the next morning.

* * *

"Is anything the matter Rye?" His, or should I say my, mother asked though the magic circle, her voice laced with worry only a mother could feel.

I can only imagine her expression, features contorted with fear for her youngest son, one just out of her reach where she could no longer swoop down to his side and cradle him like any good mother would. It seems that having so many children had not dulled her maternal instinct; in fact I would go as far as to say that having her 'baby boy' contact her from out of the blue seemed to awaken the woman who had cared so deeply for him -for all of her children- since the day he was conceived.

"You're not in some sort of trouble, are you?"

Perhaps my decision to contact them so early in the morning was not the wisest of moves, but I was giddy with my success and thought ' _Why not get it over with?'_

Then again, I am certain it would be best for everyone involved, especially me, if I did this as quickly as possible. It was best to deal with these problems sooner rather than later after all.

"I would not worry too much, my love," The heavy but elegant baritone of my father rang through soon after, his own tone somewhat more stoic and bordering on confident, but the undercurrent of apprehension was there if you knew how to listen. He must have been the more controlled of the two, the more grounded considering the little information shown within the pages of the novels. He still did care for his son, it seemed, no matter how worthless Riser would have become in the next few months. "Though I cannot say that I am not just as curious. From what I've heard from your servants, you aren't usually awake at this hour. What troubles you, son, that you had to contact all of us?"

I would have replied: The House, but then again devils seem to be used to such wealth. Extravagance looked to be the norm here, and with a family this powerful, I'm sure that the castle I was living in didn't make so much as a blip on their radars. I was somewhat afraid to consider what our true ancestral home might look like. Let's not even mention the potential wealth and fortresses my other two brothers possessed, one being within the Top 10 of Rating Game Participants and the other a Mass Media Tycoon probably only rivaled by Lady Leviathan herself.

My awe of this massive structure would have to wait, as currently I am speaking to every single one of my siblings, as well as both my father and mother via magic circle. My siblings haven't said anything yet, but there were two other magic circles hovering before me, so I could only assume that they were at the very least listening in. Ravel, the youngest of us as well as the only girl in the family, still stayed with our parents, so if she would be participating in this conversation, she would speak through the same circle our parents were using.

As to why I am speaking to them, it's related to one of my initial worries when I first discovered my reincarnation predicament.

It goes without saying that I am not really Raiser Phenex. Our personalities seem to be as different as night and day, and if he acted anything like how the novels portray him, one would easily see the shift in personality that occurred literally overnight. I had no idea how he acted when he was in the presence of others, friends and family, but when he was people he perceived to be below him he was nothing short of a complete douche bag. If he was a shameless pervert all the time, I would be caught almost immediately, and if he was an avid party-goer then people would spot the difference even sooner.

I had memories, but they were second hand, and audio only; It was like listening to a story so the events within them affected Riser very differently from how they affected me. I mean, the boy was giddy when he learned that he never needed to control his magic, I almost had an aneurysm.

I didn't want to think about what would happen if anyone concludes, and proves, that I am not the same Riser Phenex that was born to this world, so I'm nipping that problem in the bud.

Here goes nothing. "Okaa-sama, Otou-sama, Onii-sama, and Imouto, would you mind keeping whatever we talk about today secret, if only before I reveal it to others?"

I had to convince them that I was the greatest liar the world have ever seen. No pressure.

"That would very much depend on what you want us to hide, my boy." Father seemed to be speaking for everyone as his voice seemed to gain a tinge of heat. His voice seemed to be able to shake the room, as well as raise the temperature several degrees even _through_ the magic circle as he said his piece. "If, for example, you reveal to us today that you are collaborating with the Old Satan Faction, then I'm afraid that we will have to report it to the Maou as well as destroy you oursel-."

Whatever he would say next was interrupted by a wheezing groan, as if something struck his... stomach, yeah; I don't think mother would aim that low yet.

On second thought, I really didn't want to know. Good job for making this conversation happen over magic circle, me! Thank you, audio-only function and old Riser's nocturnal tendencies! If not for you, they would demand that they be able to see me, and I really don't want my first face to face meeting with them to include me being scared shitless.

"But since my baby _isn't_ a traitor, that won't be necessary, right, _My Darling Dearest_?" I didn't want to imagine how my mother looked like but it was more than enough to frighten my father into giving a terrified grunt. Note to self, moms are still the most frightening things in any universe, especially Devil ones. "Good, now tell Okaa-sama what troubles my baby boy so much? Are you getting lonely in that big empty house all by yourself? Do you need anything from Okaa-sama and Otou-sama? Did you make the stupid mistake of getting someone pregnant?"

"Riser... isn't that daft Okaa-sama. I am quite sure that there is a more logical explanation to this strange occurrence." Who I think to be Ruval spoke with an exasperated tone barely hidden behind practiced speech and his noble bearing. Maybe he was tired from training, or maybe he had a game recently? He was only glossed over in the novels so what occurs during his time off is relatively unknown. From my memories, if he wasn't playing around with his daughter, he was being groomed to take over as Head of the Family and both were equally tiring.

Then again, He could just been embarrassed that his mother was speaking in such a way, to their youngest brother and in the presence of their youngest sibling no less. "You wouldn't get anyone pregnant. I mean, you're engaged brother, and you know how Okaa-sama is. You're supposed to be too smart to do anything so earth-shatteringly idiotic... Right?"

Thanks bro, I feel all the love and support coming from those words, especially that last one.

"How could you, Otouto-kun? I gave you the power to become the Greatest Guy, not the Dane of Debauchery or the Duke of Deflowering!" Rev, whose full name was coincidentally Revive, spoke dramatically as choked back sobs echoed out of his circle. I had a sinking feeling he was chocking back laughter though, it seemed like him to be an even bigger ass than Riser was.

He was never really featured in the novels, or manga, or the anime but he was called the media guy so maybe being dramatic was his thing. He should really learn not to bring his work home next time. "If you wish to ask for aid, brother, we will have to deny you of our bond. This is a most grievous offence, ill-befitting an espoused noble of your stature. I am afraid we can only weep for you as you suffer the consequences of your actions. I hope that the woman you chose to carry your seed was worth it, for I hear that Lord Lucifer is not kind to those who slight his beloved sister."

There was an exasperated sigh. "What's the problem, Onii-sama?" Ravel, oh sweet dearest Ravel, seemed to be the only one taking things seriously.

No, everyone -as weird as this was- seemed to be completely serious, she was just the only one who refrained from jumping to conclusions.

"I would just like to report that my experiment was a success." I begin with the most serious sounding voice I have ever produced with this throat, hoping that I would not screw this up now that it had begun. I took the fact that my family's strange reactions abruptly stopped after I finished the first sentence. I took that silence as a signal to continue and would you look at that, practicing in front of the mirror really does work. "Also, I may need four vials of Phoenix Tears, but only as a precautionary measure. I will gladly return them within a few day's time if I find no further complications, as well as report any of those said complications should they arise from this recently concluded experiment."

I was met with silence for a time, silence so heavy that it weighed upon my shoulders like the world on Atlas' great back. This was the beginning of my great plan; to claim a life not my own, I must begin with a single lie that would soon turn to truth. I could only hope that they took the bait, and that they all took this seriously. The moment they, my new family and those who supposedly know me most, brush this away as an impossibility was the moment I had sealed my fate.

It was either this plan worked, or I would have to try and act like a pervert my entire new life.

Again, in a world where Soul Destruction, Manipulation, and Capture was possible, I didn't want to think about what would happen if I get caught.

Suddenly, the circle my parents and sister spoke though shined, motes of light flowing through the magical symbol that hovered in midair before gather at my lap. I could only watch in fascination as the light seemed to solidify as it coalesced before me and in a flash of light and power, what was once simple specks set aglow was an opened box that cradled four precious vials of blood red liquid. The box dropped to my lap as the circle supporting it faded, but before I had time to examine it further, my father once filled the room with his voice.

"Do not trouble yourself over the Tears, though this certainly isn't like you. My youngest son would rather be enjoying his time with the women of his peerage like his second brother, exploring whatever fantasy he could conjure rather than the ways of the world. Before I can conclude whether or not this is a pleasant change-urk"

"And what exactly did you experiment on, _My Little Bird?_ " Now I know that the temperature in the room skyrocketed, and was ever rising, as the sigil my parents used to communicate gained an ominous vermilion glow. "You didn't play around with your peerage, did you? Or did you do something even worse and tried experimenting on yourself?"

Damn, and I just made a note not to piss off my mother too.

From that symbol, hear poured forth into the room, demonic power that eclipsed my own being brought to bear against me, and the safeguard that I placed around the room began to crackle in protest. I had placed a spell, a circle on each side of the room, ceiling and all, to protect against severe heat, but never did I think that I would need them. I didn't think I needed to actively reinforce them as my mother brought her power before my own, bringing the heat firestorm to clash against cooling powers of a refrigerator. I had passive heat resistance, so all my power was devoted to the sealing array I had set up for the room, but in few minutes, even that would not stand against the Titan that was apparently my own mother.

And it would only get worse from here on out.

It's not like I could lie to her, or to any of them more that I was already attempting to, so better stick to the script.

"Both."

The intense heat that filled the room instantly disappeared, leaving me sighing in relief as the power I exerted slowly retreated back within me. I had no idea how long I was going to hold up under such intense pressure, but I couldn't think of that now. I have seen something like this before, the calm before the storm, and sure enough it is my sister who confirms my grim suspicions. "Onii-sama, Okaa-sama seems to have stopped functioning but she's burning up. Otou-sama is trying to calm her down but you better explain what you just said before she goes nuclear."

She could go NUCLEAR? On one hand, that makes my story more believable and that's good, but a fucking nuke?

Better hurry this along then.

"Okaa-san, please, it was a derivative of Phoenix Tears so no irreversible harm could fall to me or those of my Peerage. I ensured that the worst possible scenario would end up being a peculiar behavior on my part and a bit of disappointment all around." I intoned firmly, trying my very best to keep my frantic panic aside as sweat dripped from my brow. My power welled from within me, at the ready just in case my mother would try anything but I doubted if I could hold her back more than I already have. "The Tears are just for insurance, more for my sake than theirs to be perfectly honest, in the event that they don't take this news well."

 _"Speak clearly Riser Phenex and explain, now."_ Oooh, the full name ultimatum and in the soft, deceptively gentle voice that never failed to make that declaration of death ever so much more final.

"I thought about about it when we were finally explained how the Tears work, back when I was still in the process of building up my own peerage." Please, don't call bullshit. Please, don't call bullshit. Please, don't call bullshit. Please, don't call bullshit.

"Don't you mean when you were acting like a beast in the heat?" Damn it Revive, not now! Is this why they never introduced him in the series, because he's an even bigger dick than Riser is, err, was? "I mean, you even went up to me to ask how-"

 _"Revive, please let your youngest brother finish."_

"Yes, Ma'am." Ha, take that! Wait, no time to celebrate just yet. I have a ticking time bomb here.

"He isn't wrong about that, Okaa-sama, though I would like to add he isn't entirely correct either. I had a theory after all, and it seemed to be the only way to test it at the time. I came to my brother with the intention of learning seduction though not solely for the base acts that I am allowed to participate in, but again that was a part of it." Alright, that is the most long winded way of saying 'I needed them for something, but not _that_.' and it looks like it got their attention. "I will admit that I needed to be able to initiate intimate contact with them regularly, as well as a larger pool of women to perform the experiment, which is exactly why I chose them for my peerage."

Alright, they seem to be listening intently at this point. I can't tell what they're feeling at the moment, whether it be horror, disgust, morbid fascination, maybe just plain curiosity, but they are finally silent, waiting for me to finish.

"To be perfectly frank, the procedure would simply be to initiate intimate contact, say touches, and slowly intensify them as well as observe their effects on the subject. Expected effects on said subject may include, but are certainly not limited to, increased fire, wind, or overall magical ability, regenerative prowess, or at worst case nothing at all." Yep, this is my master plan: to make them believe that my somewhat perverted tendencies were all just a part of a massive long term experiment to see how I affect the women I've touched.

Yeah, I know, it isn't exactly the most logical in a human perspective, but I'm banking on the Devil's more pragmatic and archaic mindset and that the difference between the two would be enough to see me through.

On with the bullshit.

"The subjects I chose were to be members of my peerage since, if the experiment did succeed and it did, it would yield an increase in performance especially useful in combat and I could take advantage of that. As no detrimental effects were expected to occur after, there was minimal if any risk. I chose women in particular because I'm not exactly comfortable with pursuing romantic relations with men." A collective sigh of relief from everyone. Seriously, this guy was so perverted his family had a suspicion that he was Bi? Respect for Riser has suddenly reached an all time low.

Anyway, I try to ignore that insult to my manhood and continue.

"The testing via romantic relation, as well as the very idea the experiment was inspired by a strange observation, namely Okaa-sama's masterful control over her hellfire as well as her ability to create Tears despite her not possessing any Phenex blood. Since I was not since informed of a Ritual that allows any devil to create the Tears, I concluded it was something Otou-sama did to Okaa-sama, thinking that if I was wrong then there would still be a lack of detrimental effects incurred. I therefore began testing if it was possible to transfer our abilities and attributes though this contact, which should be specifically sexual in nature."

"YOU-"

"WHA-"

"BROTH-"

"RI-

"Before anyone jumps to conclusions, I would like to say I am not sexually active at the moment, as I am engaged." Whew, that was hard to say all in a single breath. I almost choked on my own spit for a second when I inhaled as everyone once again fell silent. "The furthest I allowed the contact to escalate would be kissing, as any other more intimate transfer of fluids would be sexual intercourse itself. Seeing as we can transfer energy through simple touch, I thought that this would be sufficient to bring observable change at the very least, significant change at most. I was proven correct as I can observe most of my peerage possessing an increase in fire and or wind affinity. Any regenerative capabilities though are still too weak to be properly used in combat, though it should help with recovery after training sessions."

I took a deep breath, both to prepare myself for the questions that would most definitely arise as well as end this long tirade.

"I will have to confess that I am cutting my research short, as again, I have concluded it is enough of a success given the resources I expended, I am engaged, and to save you all the trouble."

I was expecting quite a number of things at that point: My mother could very well blow up with whatever rage she had left, for one. She would be justified too, seeing as she was raised, presumably, as a proper lady and my treatment of my peerage would be more than enough to set anyone off. My siblings could easily call bullshit, that they knew their brother too well to be fooled by this huge ruse and accuse me of body snatching, or whatever the term is here. They seem to have a very tightly nit family dynamic, seeing as the baby and the girl of the family still had enough in her to try and help him out after the humiliating defeat he suffered.

"My baby boy was never a despicable pervert!"

"For the first time since the Marquess, the Phenex is actually complete!"

The last thing I expected to happen was for both my parents to be crying tears of joy.

" **EH?** "

Of course, we as siblings reacted to this strangeness in perfect synchronization.

* * *

Shit, that was tiring.

They were all fooled, thank goodness, even buying the excuse that I didn't tell them because they wouldn't have allowed me to do it.

Even now while the 'research' bore some fruit, there was no way they would let me continue my 'experiments' because of the risk such information could carry. Make no mistake, there were still quite a number of unanswered questions, like if the ability to pass on powers and attributes this way was inherently Phenex or something all devils could achieve, but we all agreed that those questions are best left unanswered. The mere possibility was enough for our parents, especially our mother, to quickly draft a defense plan for both myself and Ravel, seeing as my two elder siblings were already recognized as Ultimate-class, maybe even bordering on Satan-class.

Even an idiot knew what would happen if word got out that it may be possible to pass on powers via sex even if it wasn't permanent, and I didn't want to be the reason this already dark world suddenly had more rape.

With that, they agreed that they would stop me themselves if I had considered continuing it. Though on the technical side, it kind of was continuing since I needed to see if the change is permanent, or if I had to keep kissing them to keep them as strong as they were.

On a more realistic note, the main reason why they bought it was that apparently something like this happened before. Our good friend Dio actually did the exact opposite; He told people that he went out and slept around because he was trying to see if he could _take_ power using sex, but what eventually came to light was that he had an unhealthy obsession with a certain character archetype. Revive quickly amended that this was all hearsay, but all of us took the words of an intelligence officer as they were and noted not to spread potentially classified information.

Personally, I'm just glad it went off without a hitch.

I didn't want to think of such things for the moment; my eyes instead focusing on the ceiling as I rested my head on a luxurious couch, the same one seen in the anime as Riser watched his fiance. I would be on my bed, trying to sleep, but I wrecked it last night so this was the next best thing. Shifting on the large and mostly empty piece of furniture, I released a sigh, once more trying to expand my senses as I forced my body to relax.

Results were somewhat better, giving me a sense of what was in the room around me though not to the extent that it was superior to my own two eyes. Still, I would say it was better than last night, and the room had no trace of the smell of smoke. I had figured out what I was doing wrong, and trust me it's kind of embarrassing how it took another two hours after the first three, but at least now, I didn't have to fear burning everything when I tried to use this new 'sense'.

Now, If only my Pe-

"We have returned, Riser-sama." A voice, clear and bright rang as the feeling of heat brushed at my skin. I didn't need to, nor did I want to, open my eyes to know that the magic circle of the Phenex family was etched on the ground before the inferno that heralded our particular teleportation spell erupted in an impressive display of flame and heat.

It might have been a remnant of the Civil War, maybe even the Great War, when one needed a method to teleport into enemy lines. I would assume that the size of the fireball would have been much more intimidating back then, not only as a display of power but as a technique intended to roast anything and anyone in the immediate vicinity. Also, we were supposedly Immortal, so even if it did go wrong somehow, we would survive enough to retreat.

But anyway, so now the adage that to 'think of the devil and he, they, shall appear' was true?

This makes it easier then.

I was worried when they weren't present at the time I realized that I was Riser since that tidbit opened up a large number of possibilities I hated considering. It was nice to find out that he didn't in fact sleep with them on regular basis, just to respect his marriage to Rias, though I wasn't exactly sure if he was whoring them out somewhere, to some unsavory devil in return for a free win. The power he possessed cleared that thought away nicely, he could win fairly it seemed and didn't need to resort to such tactics, but that didn't help solve the mystery that was their current location.

If he didn't use such unsavory methods, and they all seemed much too experienced to be doing things like fulfilling contracts, then I had absolutely no idea where they were, or what they could be doing.

Were they captured? Maybe being held hostage? Were they working for someone else? Did some meteor fall on them randomly? Were they still even alive? Anything could happen since the impossible already did, and that didn't exactly assuage my worry. It was dear little Ravel who came through for me once more, saying that my peerage would be coming as soon as possible since they were done with their little 'Girl's Night'.

That told me where they were, what they were doing, as well as confirmed the fact that Ravel was also my bishop now. I discovered the last bit earlier when my mother asked if I had done the same thing with Ravel, but I had calmly pointed out that I couldn't really improve anything through my 'experiment' since Ravel was already pure blood Phenex. Anyway, them being in our parents house to spend time with Ravel, who seemed to be recognized as a second queen after Yubelluna, gave my sister time to reveal and discuss the 'reason' for my activities.

Thankfully they seemed to buy that too for the most part and it gave me enough time to think of how to start training them.

No, not for the battle with Issei, but for what would inevitably follow after, culminating into the battle against the Emperor himself. Admittedly, that last fight will be easy if everything goes according to plan, but that's nineteen volumes away and may not even happen if I change enough stuff.

I should really address my peerage though, feigning sleep is never a good thing.

"I assume that my sister has informed you of what has been occurring?" With my voice as level as possible, I sat myself up and opened my eyes to face those who would follow me into battle.

Well, I would have if my vision wasn't immediately filled with flame. Really, really, _really_ hot flame. Flame so hot that it burned bright white before engulfing my entire head and consuming the flesh that made up the most important part of my body. I was on the verge of panicking, half of me screaming to do anything to stop what was going on but the rational part, the part that more often than not won these arguments, told me to wait. My mind told me to try and 'feel' and 'see' while my first instinct demanded that I react to someone burning my fucking face off.

Guess what I went with?

"Can you please repeat that, Imouto-chan, I couldn't hear you on the account that you burnt my ears away." I spoke as calmly, nonchalantly as my face reformed into a gentle smile and my blue eyes stared deep into my sister's.

"I said, you shouldn't hide things like that from us next time. Not from your family, not from your peerage, and not from me." Refusing to look me in the eye any longer, the girl who would have protected me from the Red Dragon Emperor's wrath once upon a time said with a voice that betrayed hesitation. I could understand completely; she just had her brother transform before her very eyes, a brother she must have definitely cared about if she would join and defend him despite his perverted tendencies.

"Riser-sama, Ravel-sama, should we leave?" Her eyes shifting to me to my sister and back again, Yubelluna looked to both of us for the order. This was starting to look like a family dispute rather than an argument within the peerage, but as I shook my head slightly she fell silent and was content to wait. All the others of my new peerage stood behind her, obediently falling behind their queen as the little scene Raval caused unfolded.

My new sister would be doubting now, that if he was able to keep this facade up for so long what more would be hidden away, and what more could be faked. Everything was technically faked, and yet nothing was; one lie to end all the lying so to speak, but she didn't need to know that. She looked like she needed to know if her brother still or ever did care for her. This guy was so lucky to have such a family, even if he was a complete asshole.

Shaking my head to banish these depressing thoughts, I gave her a tired sigh. Little sisters were always difficult to deal with, though let's see if I hadn't lost my touch. I was once the eldest of three after all before I was confined.

"Ravel." My voice flowed as a spoke, or maybe its better to say sang, to her, the reputation of the Phoenix being a bird of music as well as fire being known. With a soft smile playing at my lips, I tapped the space beside me gently and before I knew it I had my little sister seated beside me, looking up with the eyes only a child could posses. I forget sometimes how you she is, how you she will remain when the times ahead come to test her. "You know why I didn't tell anyone."

"But..."

"But that doesn't excuse me does it?" My smile must have strained a bit as the expression of worry on my little sister's face softened and a bit of humor shone through. I'm sure none present would forget what my mother put me through after we finished the discussion on the 'experiment' especially not my own siblings. "Alright then, to settle your little heart, how about this: I promise not to pull something like that on you ever again. Happy?"

"No more secrets!" Small fists pounded into the cushions as her eyes glared daggers at me and she made a face, so much more adorable than intimidating that it just made the urge to pick her up and twirl her even more unbearable. "Not between family..." Hey, I'm evil, but even I know how to enjoy the different brands of Moe, even tsundere moe and she murmured that part so cutely too. "Don't make us worry like that, alright?"

"You are beginning to sound like Ruval-nii so much that I'm worried our little princess might be growing to fast." With the lightest of hands, I brushed the curls she was so proud of before bending low to plant a quick kiss on the crown of her head. When I saw the warm rose color her cheeks, I couldn't help myself and laughed, gently pulling her close as I continued playing with her hair. That might be instinctual at this point, hopefullyI didn't inherit whatever strange fetish Riser may or may not have had. "Don't worry us, and I promise I won't worry you, okay?"

"Baka-oniichan." I do believe that's a 'yes' in tsundere, and given how she's leaning into my touch I would say she isn't exactly against me being overly affectionate. But oh man my little sister is so adorable when she's blushing! I knew moe was a powerful weapon but to witness it in action is just, devastating.

Really, what was Riser thinking when he entered that depression? If I was in his place, even if I did lose at a scale not normally seen, I would have challenged Issei again and again to just try and beat his ass if he managed to charm this darling little firebird. Who cares if I get beaten up every singe time, I do not approve and that means I would do everything in my power to make sure he pays for his insolence... especially since he roped her into his harem unwittingly.

Seeing her smile behind her luminescent blush as I break away, I conclude that the relationship repair session was finished and move on to the next thing on my agenda...

If I wasn't so distracted by that next thing on my agenda staring at me differently. "What?"

When Raiser said that he found women of every type, he wasn't exactly joking. I'm not exactly the most knowledgeable in this field but off the top of my head, I could see all the dere types, well the top four at the very least. Several of them were Ane or Onee-chan types, all the twins were both in the moe, genki, and chibi category. Mihae in particular falls into Nadeshiko, and Miko while Isabella was definitely bokuko, maybe even sukeban if we're pushing it. Of course Ravel is Ojou-chan, maybe even sensei given her tactical ability. Well, you get the point, they were all different, this guy had access to quite the pool it seemed, but what was strange to me was that they all stared at me, us, basically the same way.

I mean, they were so many women, and they were _definitely_ aware of each other. It should be statistically impossible for him to charm each and every one of them, as well as convince them to share to such an extent that messy orgies weren't out of the questions. This man was either a true man among men, a man who had done the impossible and made it so that women saw him as such a prize that they would even consider this messed up arrangement or...

Mind control.

Have I insulted my own foolishness today? No? Damn I'm an idiot!

Of course the pieces have a subtle mind control feature, that was basic devil MO no matter what the universe. The servants we made were no longer an endless thrall of bodies that we could throw at our enemies but single units, though strengthened to the extent that they could match us in battle given time. This was what chess did to war, instead of an entire army at our command we were given individuals who could very well serve as an equivalent; servants who, together, could very well crush a conventional army themselves.

It would definitely explain why Issei seemed to be dead set or Rias despite always asserting his desire for a harem.

I had no idea how effective this control mechanism was, but it would explain the loyalty of my peerage, how they stared at the interaction between my sister and I with heartfelt fondness instead of disgust at the man who they found out had been using them without their knowledge. Their hearts were already mine somehow, and there was hardly any chance that they would change any time soon, unless of course I do something unforgivable.

Note to self; Find out that line that I must not cross before continuing on.

"Our apologies, Riser-sama." Yubelluna once again took charge as queen and leader of the peerage as she lowered her head in a respectful bow. "It has been quite a while since anyone of us has seen you act so... tender with your family. Given your previous interactions with them we, as your peerage, were starting to worry but the news given by Ravel-sama has eased us of this" She straightened up to her full height, once more showing me the sincere smile that had no business being on her face, especially after what I had done. "I would like to be the first to say congratulations on your success and assure you that we have no qualms with what you have done."

I know they say don't look a gift horse in the mouth but I have a bad feeling about this. It could be true that they really don't feel anything about what I have done, but fate isn't this kind, not to people like me. There is something coming and whether it comes from my peerage, that fateful battle, or beyond, it would be coming for me.

But that's just fine, in fact I'm expecting whoever is in control of this world to give me everything they've got.

"That is good to hear, but I still feel I have been remiss in my duties as a King." I stood to meet my peerage, and as one they knelt before me like the nobles of old before their monarch. I would like to think it was the look in my eyes, or the confidence I radiated that caused them to react like this, rather that it probably being a regular occurrence. "Starting tomorrow, we will begin increasing all of our strengths the old fashioned way, and maybe in a few weeks time, we will visit my beloved."

"By your will, Riser-sama!"

And with that, I knew all I needed to know about timeline. I didn't care how far ahead I was, but this asshole hasn't committed the first crucial mistake of giving them ten days, and that was good enough for me. I had time, and information that still worked at the moment. It probably wouldn't by the time I'm done with these joke characters, with this joke harem, and that pervert of a protagonist but at the very least, I wouldn't have to care.

You better watch yourselves, Peerage of Rias Gremory, Red Dragon Emperor, and Crimson Ruin Princess.

I don't intend to show any mercy.

* * *

Chapter 2 everybody, and I must say I'm amazed by the response I got. I mean, really 12 favs and follows and a few reviews were more that what I expected for the first chapter. I was hoping for 10 each after maybe chapter 3 but you guys are awesome. I hope not to disappoint anybody, but please bear in mind that this is supposed to be a fun thing. Maybe not to the level of crack, but I don't really think I can turn it into an epic like others out there (Gabriel Blessing's stuff)

Revive is the second brother, probably my only other OC aside from Riser-OC. I'll probably have to make up personalities for the rest of the peerage later on so there's that.

Review or PM for any questions, or suggestions. I will laugh at flames, and everyone except the flamer is welcome to laugh with me.

It's a bit longer so please point out any grammatical errors.

See you all next time, maybe.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: ...The Fiery Heart of a Champion cannot be Quelched...

* * *

"Isabela, Xuelan." I began, my voice as low as possible for fear that a member of my resting peerage would hear me. It was impossible though, given how this was my private study and there were silencing spells aplenty carved upon the walls. The only ones present were the two rooks reporting, and while I was all but sure no one _should_ hear it was no skin off my back to err on the side of caution. "How was the infiltration this time?"

The two before me deserve some introduction I supposed, both of them having been forced to undergo some drastic changes since the beginning of our little training sessions.

Isabela was a woman of rough beauty, her wild orange hair, reminiscent of a burning flame, was cut short in a messy bob that still managed to go every which way while retaining some measure of feral charm. Three red highlights streaked through her hair, emphasizing her image as somewhat of a delinquent though the torn up leather she used to clothe herself was no longer there.

Instead she wore a stylized double breasted jacket decorated with gold embellishments and black overlay. Her black sleeves were folded up to her elbows as vermilion bracers covered her arms. Her ruined pants were discarded in favor of a miniskirt that didn't come close to covering her thighs, her black garter-belt peeking through as it fastened itself to long black stockings that enveloped long shapely legs.

Overall her ensemble covered up way more than it did before, though her silhouette was that of a naked goddess, the way each piece of clothing hugged her figure proved more alluring than bare skin ever could. It turned out that revealing less and less increased her appeal much like how a woman covered would at times be more seductive than the naked form. Though what was shown were snapshots of supple thighs, svelte arms, and a deep valley, and I would say that helped a lot.

The new wardrobe went lengths to highlight her features, her gracefully smooth and gently elegant face all the more visible now that her appearance was that of sophisticated seduction rather than crass near-nakedness. I would say it was a major improvement from her old, Phantom of the Opera meets torn up Biker, especially with her half-mask gone.

Xuelan was definitely a Chinese beauty. Her features were delicate, easily mistaken for true nobility if one were not aware of her status as a reincarnated devil. With black hair that flowed like the curtain of night itself and skin that shined like true porcelain, she was a sight to behold.

Her hair was tamed after the Ni and Li decided to be a bit tuggy with it, her crowning glory tied in a low tight bun while her bangs were pinned aside by a simple golden clip. She seemed more traditional now, the aura of a princess surrounding her, though all who met her on the training field knew that there was poison in this flower and deceptive strength hidden in her sylphlike limbs.

Deep blue was replaced by fiery red as she shed her old qipao and dawned a newly made cheongsam. Unlike her old garment, the river of cloth flowed like river lit by the sunset. Unimpeded from the gold-lined mandarin collar, to the flap that ended just before her ankles, it looked even better when she moved striking like lightning with every bit of its ferocity.

Embroidered on the precious red silk was the image of a phoenix in flight, the majestic beast curling around her as the luxurious cloth hugged her every curve, leaving very little to the imagination. The twin slits that cut the cloth on both her sides still remained, extending from the hip to afford her the full range of motion and showing off a pair of long trailing legs that seriously made me consider dropping the engagement to save everyone the trouble.

On a side note, I'm quite good at this fashion thing though don't let anyone know I said that.

But, I mean, yeah, this silly marriage.

He was, I am, engaged to Rias Gremory and sampling goods would ruin that, but then again he has so much material to work with so to speak. Take away the jail bait as well as the incest and I was not against sharing a bed with any one of them.

Maybe even all of them.

Then again, thinking was done by the head set on the shoulders rather than the one between the legs, and there was so much fun to be had challenging my foolish fiance. There was no way I was letting this one go.

If I wasn't not mistaken, I had something like a month, give or take a few days, before I showed myself to them and as a responsible King who saw war looming over the horizon. In that time, I had been strengthening my forces.

We had not been idle for the last few weeks, every free moment we had being dedicated to getting stronger. I tried to focus on each one's strength before working on masking their weaknesses. Every once in a while though, I would give them a task that would require them to use skills they didn't know they needed, or had.

That would expain the tired grimaces on these two very beautiful women. On that note was nice to see that even if they were running on fumes, they still had some fire in them.

"You wouldn't need to worry about being called out, Raiser-sama, if that's what you're asking. We were in and out without so much of a fuss." Isabela crossed her arms and snorted through her nose, giving me a better view of her bust and a very tantalizing shake as she reported proudly. "I am sure we were absolutely undetected or you would have heard about it by now."

That's right, I had a pair of my rooks, literally the units meant to soak up as much punishment as possible, undergo stealth exercises. Classic recon.

"Though, this time the children did manage to get themselves tangled up in a mess. I have no idea how they got Carrion involved." Xuelan easily followed her fellow rook up as a glint of curiosity flashed from within dull blue eyes. "They managed to get out of it without our intervention, and even gain a solid boost in regenerative capabilities. If they wish to report what happened they would have, though since you said that they were not required to, I doubt that news of this incident would reach any other ears."

Excellent, everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. Maybe if we keep going at this rate, I would get that much needed power boost much earlier but again, I had doubts that things would just go my way that easily.

Only time would tell, though for now, I simply smiled and nodded at my rooks in thanks before taking up a pen and jotting down some things to remember. "And the weights you were using before returning to the castle?"

"As commanded, we replaced them once we reached the site, and there were no problems once we adjusted to the new weight." Isabela was the one to answer this time, a look of pride and respect on her face as she beamed at me. "As expected of you, Riser-sama, that you can manage to facilitate our training as well as find time to continue working on your own responsibilities. Not to mention furthering your own skills. Your level of stealth is something we all wish to aspire to, especially given the immense power you hold as a Son of Phenex."

"I must admit I am also in awe of you, Riser-sama." Xuelan had... wait was she blushing? "To be able to wield such power with impunity, and yet vanish without a trace is something to be respected, a mark of a balanced master. To have the wisdom to know what we are capable off as well as make plans to strengthen us to the utmost in the most efficient manner possible is simply incredible. We swear by all that we are, all that you have given us, that we will not waste your efforts and work hard to achieve whatever you have planned for us. We will prove ourselves worthy to stand by your side as honorable members of your peerage."

"I'm sure you will, both of you." Confronted by such dedication, again I could only smile and nod. It was beginning to be a fallback response all things considered. These girls really did think too highly of me sometimes, it's disorienting, blinding even with how bright the fire in their eyes could shine. "But you two better hurry off to bed. I'm sure that after a day of working your hearts out, you deserve a well earned rest."

"We are truly fortunate of have a master so concerned for us." Xuelan really had the soul of a romantic it seemed. "We bid you a good night, Riser-sama."

"We will make sure to be ready for whatever you have for us tomorrow." Isabela promised with the conviction of an innocent child. "May you find your rest as well, Riser-sama."

With that, they both honored me with a heartfelt bow, and exited my study. When the door clicked shut, and the sealing arrays I had in place once again filled the room with their assuring light, I could manage to think again.

You know, those girls were actually really sweet all things considered, but I knew all the well-wishing in the world couldn't bring me to slumber's blissful embrace. I once said that I would sleep when I was dead, I just never thought that it might one day actually apply.

See why I'm extremely paranoid?

I say one thing jokingly and BAM! Now it's reality.

My little inconveniences aside, we've actually been making some progress. To give the quickest of overviews, I was totally building up my peerage from the ground up since apparently they were all less than useless when you get right down to it. Seriously, its almost as bad as my initial casting ability, they were all just pretty faces with basically no actual value in combat.

Yes, I will admit that they have some measure of skill and the devil power up should have boosted their fighting ability to a level high above regular humans, but that would do nothing against the enemies before us. They were taken out by a bunch of weaklings after all, and that was not even counting the sustainability they had with Twilight Healing.

They bombed that match with Rias and a very large majority of them dying before a paltry pervert, a shy pussycat, and a wannabe avenger.

I wanted to bash my head in when I realized that Rias' force wasn't even complete yet, and that she had a bishop in reserve, as well as another knight and rook still unused, and still he lost. It was nothing short of shameful when you got right down to it, and the loss following the rematch he requested was only logic dictating the situation. There was never any hope when it came to a better Issei, Yuuto, Shirone, and Akeno.

That had to change, and for us to have any chance of victory, it had to change now.

So we trained, and thankfully we managed to get results.

* * *

"You were close." Some would say its almost cruel how patronizing I sounded, especially when I was talking to people who would literally have rather kissed me in public than hurt me, but it had to be done. "Try to touch me this time."

I could only shake my head as they all groaned. Each and every one of them were struggling to find their feet and keep the ground under them. To be fair to them, we had been at this for a few hours, and seeing as the midnight was still an hour or so away, I couldn't blame them for being tired. I think the fact that this was exactly the fifty third time I told them to try again had something to do with their fatigue but I couldn't be sure considering their slowly growing regenerative prowess.

On shaky legs, they struggled to remain standing, alert, and ready. On quivering knees did they take their stances, forms so pathetically worn and weathered that it would have been better if they had remained down. It was particularly chilly that night -or maybe I could have called it morning- as their heavy breaths and exhausted bodies painted the night's dark void with small clouds of warm mist. I found it morbidly impressive that I managed to work them hard enough that they would sweat, that they would _steam_ even in weather like this, but for the sake of getting stronger I had to harden my heart.

And just like that, my pawns finally obeyed and the girls dressed in nothing more than a small shirt and bloomers gave chase once more.

They deserved credit for learning even in these harsh conditions, or maybe it should be said that it was admirable they even found the strength to give chase as we once again resumed our game of weighted tag.

Yes, that's exactly it.

This wasn't a fight, just a simple game of tag in some of the worst conditions imaginable. I should have probably called it reverse tag if anything, since at that moment, all eight of them were 'it' and trying to even lay a finger on me. As this was the fifty third time they rose from the dusty floor of the courtyard, it could be said that we had been at this for at least the last three hours, though the last twenty times they fell were no longer due to my interference, just that their own legs gave out after such futile chasing.

Easily evading their first rush, I could conclude that this situation merited some explanation but it's actually quite simple; this was the tamest version of speed and endurance training that I could think of.

And Yes, believe it or not, this was benefiting everyone involved, including myself.

The rationale behind it was quite simple, and all started when I was dabbling in magic circles. I had no way of expressing my love for magic circles other than, "that shit is dope".

As catalysts for a myriad of spells such as Teleportation, Barrier magic, Communication Magic, Elemental Magic, some Sacred Gears, and many more, Magic circles made up the bread and butter of most magic featured in the anime. They were required for most human magic, so maybe our manga artists had something going on.

They seemed to be the guiding force of some spells, easing the conjurer by providing some sort of esoteric framework within the runes of light etched upon them. It made sense since some things are far easier to imagine than others and these circles gave them a way to give some form of structure to widespread spells, like the teleportation, and other familiar spells.

I would liken the use of magic circles to the spell-book Wizard approach, to 'store' the spell in a circle rather than the sheer talent of the Sorcerer, which became the more used approach when it came to the more powerful members of this universe.

Anyway, on 'storing' circles, this method somewhat simplified magic in the way that you simply had to conjure the circle, and you had your spell. I0'ts like magic words, you said something and channeled enough power into using the spell and then it would just happen. It eased the burden of the spellcaster, at least us devils, because you didn't need to imagine the process anymore, especially when the magic wass something as complicated as teleportation.

Using that as an example, I simply needed to bring the circle out, and I would have been able to appear instantaneously within a similar circle no matter where this other circle was. I would not need to find it or be aware of it's location. I didn't need to worry about anything that could be in the immediate vicinity of the circle that I might teleport into. I didn't need to worry about my own body, as in the orientation when I appeared, and definitely not that it would be in one piece or all scrambled up like in those teleporter experiments. Most comfortingly, I didn't need to worry about the method, if I would be cutting space to tunnel towards my destination, or if I used some scientific process like quantum entanglement.

Teleportation accidents don't apply anymore.

Sure it wasn't exactly creative, but it's much, much, much safer for devils who had no idea what could happen if they cast with just imagination. It's also possible to share this type of magic, since as long as one had a circle, they basically had the spell. Energy wass something we could cover another time, which is why circles like this are usually for utility instead of true combat. The latter ones always needed much more energy, as well as specific affinity more often than not.

As I knew what happened during my magical sensing experiment, I would hate to think of the poor sap who tried teleportation with the thought 'I want to be there instead of here'

Too many things could go wrong.

Still, to a person who knew what they were doing, the method of imagination was way more effective. So effective in fact, that it made it to one of the Greatest History Books regarding both devil and human kind: The Ars Goetia. Image was definitely important, just take a look at some of the more magically inclined demons listed, the clans of Aim and Furfur being prime examples of their magic.

The prowess of the Aim in bending fire to their will was so great that they were known throughout the realms as pyromaniacs. With but a stray thought, they would ignite great cities and acres of land would be utterly consumed in whatever inferno they deem fit to call forth.

I honestly had no idea how our prowess over fire compares to theirs, but it was known that we were considered gentler, given how we were more known for our elegance and nobility rather than the pure destructive potential we undoubted had. They were wittier though, and if I was not mistaken, they were the ones to coin terms well known if verbal arguments, 'burn' and 'flame' soon after the civil war died down.

Furfur were the masters of the storm, with powers governing the state of the very heavens when on the field of battle though that was only half of the story here. If those of the Aim clan could ignite a city with a thought, those of the Furfur could bring about tempests that would render armadas nothing but wrecks and the bottom of the seas. But once more that is simply a fraction of their power.

Their true strength was put on display in the middle of the great war, when the battles between Fallen and Devil were most heated as both races fought for control of the underworld. To cut things short, they shattered the old dark void that hung above the underworld and crafted the very sky we enjoyed today with the demonic power they had.

With just their whims, they had changed Devil society and the very landscape in combat, and still they were mid-tier at best when compared to the true powerhouses of our race. Image was most used in one of the powers of the most prominent ruling family; the Bael. Rias's power was inherited from this, but her ability to 'blow things away' was nothing compared to Zekram's true strength. Humans in their denial wrote that he had the skill to make things 'invisible' unwilling to believe that he was destruction incarnate. And even that, in the end, was nothing compared to the might Sirzerchs wields as one who surpasses the first Devil, the accuser himself.

They will be nothing before me soon enough, for I do not wield the creativity of a man.

I posses the terrifyingly active imagination of a _madman._

But I digress, from circles I've gone to magic thoughts again.

Back on topic, How did chasing me around -whoops there go the cat twins again- help them in speed as well as endurance?

Simple, I placed a few magic circles on their clothing. Specifically, they were circles that would attempt to exert some measure of counter force when they moved, mimicking the sensation of being suspended in viscous liquid rather than air.

Gravity still applied though, so they wouldn't be swimming in air any time soon. Any other movement they tried to perform slowed down considerably to the extent that it was quite humorous the first time around. Nel and Ile particularly couldn't even stand without help, which made a very difficult game of tag. Added to that was the fact that they only grew stronger with the amount of power I put into it, which meant I could actively slow them down if ever they came too close, and in doing so allow the game to continue.

It didn't seem fair at first glance, but that's because those were just the circles on their clothing and I had yet to mention those on my own. As the master, it was my duty to sympathize with them, and so I placed the same restrictive circles on myself though under their command.

If they wished it, they could slow me down as well, but this time each circle had an independent power source, thereby increasing the maximum force potential. In english, if I wanted to slow them down, I had to exert my power on eight different circles simultaneously which was draining I would say, but if they wanted to slow me down, they could all exert power on one circle each, and thereby slow me down eight times more effectively as they shared the load.

The simple game of tag had gotten much more interesting now; a perfect way to train speed, as well as bolster all of our magical power.

But that wasn't everything yet, I upped the ante even more by placing an additional albeit lesser circle on myself, this time under my command, to further increase my own training. That meant, if I wanted to apply a force to slow them down -and I still did- I had to apply half of that to myself, and they could still apply the same force each to slow me down. This should have then rendered my superior attributes as a pureblood moot, since the amount of power reduction I was suffering would easily cut down any advantage I might have had, and thus level the playing field somewhat.

But who am I kidding, I hateed to lose so of course there were some other things up my sleeve.

One was the fact that, to me, no matter how much they slowed me down, I could still move faster than they could even if they promoted themselves to the position of queen. That was due to some magic I had discovered quite recently. Of course I didn't let them promote either, and I definitely didn't let them in on my little secret.

Don't blame me, there were nine different slowing spells on me for goodness sake! I needed an edge if I was going to keep my pride as a King, and as a very, very sore loser.

So much magic on me also increased the drain I had to suffer though, so even if I was cheating, it still benefited me even more in the long run in terms of magical endurance. You know, that magic was a muscle, and the more you used up the more you could produce at a time after recovery? It was _that_ sort of magical endurance.

Or should I call it Production Rate? Meh, either way, the more we all used up, the more we could make and hold so it was a win for everyone.

We'd been doing this sort of stuff for weeks so yeah; we've gotten better.

And so we continued to dance once more, which mostly consisted of them chasing me around as I laughed and evaded, always making sure to glide past hands and fingers by but a hair's breadth to goad them into to continuing. It wouldn't do to show them their endeavors were hopeless after all, the will of all things genuinely struggled to keep going when no hope is presented. Still, I would have said that we had been making some progress, since they were moving close to peak human speeds, despite their lack of promotion and the circles I had placed on them.

Seriously it was frightening how fast they were able to grow. I'd been badmouthing Issei, and he really did deserve it, but to be able to increase his vitality in such a short time was nothing short of impressive. It was also, apparently, a pawn thing, and given them being 'potential defined' with all that promotion stuff, they actually had the quickest growth rate when it came to training.

I mean, my other peerage members have improved somewhat but the sheer potential the pawns possessed was phenomenal. They really were destined to become extremely powerful and versatile pieces, maybe even worthy of being equal to a queen if trained properly.

I may have been patting myself on the back too much here, but these were little girls, two maids, and a bellydancer when I first got my hands on them. After a few weeks, they could have probably given the old Xuelan a run for her money, and she was supposed to be close if not outright queen-level in power. I would never really know until I removed the circles from their clothing, but something told me that they could give Koneko a fair fight if it came to that.

No, I knew for a fact that I wasn't overdoing it. I haven't seriously tried killing them, so no worries.

Oh and, one more fact about those circles. That variant had a one way power control system. It was only for training but a person could only increase the amount of force. If you began applying, say a kilogram of weight in magic, you could never decrease it until the training finishes... or they fell flat on the floor. At that point, I had to deactivate all the circles.

And that meaned they should be tiring out right about...

"We... can't... continue... Risers-sa..." As if on cue most of them fell on their knees as exhaustion finally overpowered their will. The one who spoke was Mira, the one dubbed the Weakest in the Peerage possessing just enough strength to speak, just shy of totally passing out. Ni, Li, Nel and Ile weren't even conscious any more as they breathed their last, legs giving out from under both sets of twins as their forms rapidly fell towards the hard ground.

Or at the very least they would have if I didn't catch every single one of them in my levitation circle.

Slowly my eyes took in the work of my hands, and despite witnessing each of their labored breaths, their clothing stained with the dirt of the unforgiving ground, their sweat clinging to their skin even as it evaporated into the harsh night air, I envied them. I envied them for they were allowed rest, and they could rest in the comfort that they would wake up in a matter of hours, revitalized and stronger then ever before. I envied how they could rest in such sweet serenity, how their minds were occupied by the one wish of pleasing he who had given them new life.

I envied how they could see me as one so kind.

"Riser-sama?" Her voice was soft, weighed down by her own chest as she spoke in what I suspected to be the loudest voice she could muster after I had taken every drop of energy they had. Her brown hair was disheveled as she turned to me from her place in the air, her cheeks flush from the cold bite of the night air even as I began bring he heat up to a comfortable temperature. "Did... did we?"

"Hush, Marion." I commanded, meeting her eyes before firmly shaking my head. "Rest now, all of you have earned that much."

"But..." Stupid disobedient servants. I didn't know whether it was fatigue or shame that held her tongue but when I looked over her once more, she was already fast asleep. Even that didn't hold her tongue. "how... about...?"

"Sleep child." I shook my head, these girls were much too good for me.

With our training session over, and the sun still not close to rising if I had my time right, I walked back into the castle with eight floating bodies behind me.

It looked like I would have to spend another night plotting and scheming.

* * *

"Are you sure we should be doing this, Riser-sama?" Mihae was truly the Yamato Nadeshiko of my peerage, and a very tender girl when you got past all the manners and etiquette that she guarded her heart with. And apparently she was Korean instead of Japanese, who knew?

Though at this point, it was getting annoying the way she would ask the same question at least once every time we had a training session. I liked that her heart was in the right place, but she didn't have to ask every single time.

"Yes, Mihae, you don't think I would put my sister in the line of fire, do you?" I struggled to keep my tone as nonchalant as possible, to keep the sarcasm from leaking through but still the girl before me flushed, contrite eyes downcast. Before she could fall into a full bow, I opened my mouth. "Come now, none of that here. Now hit me with your best shot."

She finally caught on, simply giving me a nod before her eyes fell closed. Her hair though bound in a high ponytail began to rise, whipping uncontrollably around her as if carried by an invisible wind, even as the air all around us remained deathly still. Slowly, the light revealed itself; dark blue miasma just a shade lighter than the night itself surrounded the bishop's form as the eerie dark glow illuminated the training ground with an ominously dim radiance. Stripped off her flowing robes, the deep blue allowed me a view of the skintight suit that served as her only defense, though the strange material seemed to glimmer as her power flowed out, filling the entirety of the clearing.

It was an impressive sight to see, especially when the only display of power that comes close this early in the game was Kokabiel's own wrath. That was not to say she was that powerful, I couldn't exactly tell since the range of an attack never equaled potency, and I hadn't exactly sampled the Fallen Watcher's power, but it looked just as impressive.

Pawns were versatile and easily molded, as my own pawns and Issei were testaments of how fast they could grow. They grew in leaps in bounds no matter what field they chose, but the main ability of the pawn was to promote, to evolve into something else. The pawn was could easily become a formidable foe, but only as a jack of all trades. It is often said that a Jack of all Trades, Master of none is often better than a Master of One.

That was not the case here.

A pawn evolved into a rook, a bishop, or a knight to get stronger. It was only recently that I figured out just how large of a gulf lay between the two.

The aura set the training field ablaze, the dark blue fire that was her power surging through the ground, ebbing and flowing as if in tune with her own heartbeat and into the heavenly darkness that was the curtain of the night. The blaze burned beautifully, the deep fire burning dim and cool against my own skin. At the heart of the blaze was her own flickering form, barely visible in the heart of the darkened star. All around me the flame spread, from my own body to the dusty ground, from the center of the arena to the stands were people would observe the battle from. The conflagration filled my vision, bit at my eyes, and entered my lungs but there was no pain, no ruin when the flame's caress should have wrought black destruction.

This was not her power yet, this was merely the opening act. Like the curtains that would part to reveal the actors waiting for their part, the flames died to reveal their master in unholy glory.

She did not change in the slightest, and though her hair had once more settled and two pure amber eyes stared at me with a resolve that shined this night, there was no visible difference found on her body.

I frowned at the lack of change, almost disappointed that she failed to enter the form she had showed me just days ago when I saw _them_.

There were twelve dark stars hovering behind her in a semicircle, twelve balls of such pitch darkness that I almost missed them even as held close to her almost protectively. Only an impossibly faint nimbus gave them away, a shade of harsh deep blue that it was almost invisible in the night. Given normal circumstances, I would have missed them entirely as they really did seem to blend into the night at the distance we stood apart.

The true reason I managed to see them was that they were already too close, the twelve bolts of darkness had already launched and had almost cut the entire distance between us in an imperceptible amount of time.

I watched as they began to spin, revolving around an invisible axis as they spiraled towards me with speed undeniable. They revolved as if caught in a whirlpool of force, each orb spinning ever faster as they closed the distance and approaching the center even as they hurtled towards me at breakneck speed.

To any other it was like having a massive drill approach and even to my enhanced vision the forms of the black orbs began to blur together into a blue drill of dark power, swirling threateningly around me as it gained strength and speed. They were inches from me when what was once a simple circle grew into a tumultuous twister of energy, each orb stretched and streaked before it formed beams of pure darkness, fearful waves and beams of blue light left behind as it came within striking distance.

It was a vision of power, like staring into the black pit that lead to the oceans floor as walls of abyssal water churned, the very throat of a Charybdis placed before just before the monster consumed me.

This was the gap between a bishop and a pawn, that while the latter may have had an impressive growth rate in any field the former would always be an absolute monster when using their specialized attributes. That was why a pawn would never beat a bishop in pure magic; if they started out with the same power level, the latter would always be a magnitude more powerful because of the attributes granted to it. Even when a pawn would promote into a bishop or a queen, the original bishop would hold more power as well as better compatibility when it comes to the magical arts.

Mihae was no exception to this, and the magic that she wrought was nothing short of astounding.

Again, the way we came across it was a happy accident, and had something to do with the magic circles I've been playing with.

For the bishops, as well as my queen and myself, training in magical power seemed paramount especially given the roles my queen and I played when covered by the novel. The circles I made to train us forced us to apply magical power at all times, with the circle sapping our strength as we went through our day to day training sessions. These things were mistakes in the beginning, much too powerful that they drained Yubelluna and myself dry almost immediately while my bishops fainted on the spot due to the stress of how much magic was taken from them given the short time period.

It was when I got over the head-splitting headache, those two fainting and Yubelluna falling fast asleep, I discovered something remarkable. I was indeed correct in assuming that our magic left some sort of residue in the air; energy now neutral due to it no longer being in our bodies for quite some time.

I assumeed that if it was fresh enough, the energy that lingered would tell of its user, given how the area stank of my own energy, that of my queen and my two bishops. In time those signatures would fade but in doing so become malleable energy that any could be wielded given enough time and practice. Apparently even if it still held the strange flavor inherent to the original user, they could still be controlled by any user, provided they had enough fortitude.

This was the Mana magicians used: the spare and neutralized energy left by supernatural beings when they use their own powers. If one looked even more closely, it could be called the chakra of the world, the base of Senjutsu.

And so we soon tried to find ways to control it. Of course the perquisite for my new bishop was to be able to sense this ever-present energy first. We got that down after getting her magical endurance up and apparently you needed to have a base level of power if you wanted to stay conscious after the initial draining. Said painful initial draining was also needed so you would be 'empty' enough to feel the magic in the air like a human does.

That actually answered the question why devils didn't use the mana in the air; they didn't even feel it with how naturally powerful they were in term of magic.

Okay, so when she could finally feel the magi in the air, we found out ways to control it and that little endeavor resulted in the beautiful whirlpool that was about to crush me in a massive explosion of magical energy. The little fire display was her placing her own power into the air, making the energy around her more 'her' than neutral and thus allowing her to control it better.

It was kind of like how humans took in the energy, since they had so little of it, and we could do the 'mixing' outside our bodies because we had so much more energy than they did. A body could only take so much energy after all, and with the increase this 'mixing' provided, it was no surprise that we, yes including me, had to 'mix' outside our bodies.

The change was extremely drastic; turning the lifting power of a human equal to the lifting power of a Hercules beetle. I was not even sure if it was that large of an increase, since I personally had to mix outside my body as well and doing that meant there was so only much power I'm could grasp. The only way to find out was to really use the super drain circle on myself and see how much power I could grasp, and since that is extremely painful, I planned to do it when my entire peerage is asleep.

Five hours from now, oh joy.

Oh, it occurred to me that my thoughts seemed a bit to occupied with things other than defending myself from the massive amount of power directed at me with the intent to destroy me. Well, that was because I _was_ ignoring the massive amount of power directed at me with the intent to destroy me. I was ignoring it because, yeah, it really hadn't hit me yet, and the reason it hadn't hit me yet was the same reason I could even 'sense' things through Mana around me.

Play card: Threaten to Switch Systems: Go up a level. Thank You, Munchkin (R)

That's right, I was using a system entirely foreign to this universe, and I made it so it worked even if the rules here were wonky up the wazoo.

See, for devils, the rules were there were no rules: if you had enough power, you could do anything you put your mind to. But, I can't really work with that here, so I decided to make up my own structure.

Well not really make up an entirely new system, but borrow a few from other sources and use my Power of Imagination to imagine that they actually work. It turned out you could do that here since if you 'imagined' something working they way you 'imagined' it to work, that was how it would work if you applied your power to it.

Yeah, total hax.

So if I 'imagined' myself using some method to increase my processing power and reflexes enough that time seemed almost at a standstill, much like what is done in HST-verses, Saint Seiya, Persona, the Nasuverse, Accel World and others I won't bother naming, then it would be so.

This time was good for thinking, especially for problems like how to get out of some particular situations...

Yeahp, I had no idea how to get out of this, so I'm stopping time long enough for me to think.

What? The whirlpool of energy was really pretty, I had to look at it as close as possible. It's just that I didn't think it would move so fast that now, I didn't know if I could dodge it perfectly.

What do you mean just take it like a man? I was a king, I had my pride and if I seemed even a little bit vulnerable, no one would live it down, ever...

So I just had to wait and think.

Hey, I knew I was ahead of the curve but even I had my flaws.

I was way too easily distracted sometimes.

* * *

Chapter 3 everyone. I'm sort of in a rush, since I'll be in the mountains for the weekend; I like mountain climbing, it's relaxing, so this isn't really as long as I wanted it to be. This should have been the training montage chapter, but it's only part one so expect the next part to be a continuation of some sort.

Yes, my character is copying different verse mechanics and practically using pure willpower and awesome to make it work(yes that's a blatant Gurren Lagann reference right there) so expect some familiar abilities to be used. I won't be exactly copying how things work sometimes, but I'll try to explain the best that I can how they work here.

Just to clarify, Mana Mixing into a usable powersource, as well as Thought Acceleration is from Nasu, and Mihae's entire repertoire will be borrowed from TOG, because apparently she's korean (Owned by Nasu and SUI respectively, not mine)

I'm actually surprised Devils haven't tried to learn human magic or borrow things from anime, since at times a human can fight a devil evenly, and Issei did successfully recreate the one handed kamehameha.

Anyway, that's all for now, PM and reviews for suggestions and opinions.

No questions yet, so thanks for all your support.

See you all next time, maybe.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: ...A Thousand Lies and a Good Disguise, hit them right between the Eyes...

* * *

I didn't want to talk about it.

That fight with Mihae, yeah that never happened as far as I'm concerned. The aftermath was just too humiliating to deal with.

So yeah, I was just going to ignore it like it didn't happen, unless some event would force me to recall it. Going by my luck, that should be happening sooner or later, but for now, it never occurred.

It was a stupid mistake, and I was paying for it in dividends, and it was all my fault. Well, maybe not all my fault, I think some of Raiser's 'Idiot' was rubbing off on me as time passed and I had absolutely no idea how long this was going to last or how bad it might end up getting.

That was just a spar after all, if I decided to do something equally crazy in a real fight, like needlessly giving a person a fighting chance when said person was really trying to kill me and I could easily take them down in one blow, then I deserved to lose. I would have to either get rid of it entirely -fat chance since humans always tended to make mistakes and for all intents and purposes I was born human- or be powerful enough that I never had to deal with the consequences.

The second choice was always more attractive, as well as more attainable with how everything was going.

It was no joke that the Phenex family was powerful, fire and wind magic as well as hyper regeneration was a very attractive combo, but I suspected that I could push those limits a bit more.

What my father said really bugged me for a bit, something to look up later...

What did he mean by Complete?

"WHAT THE HELL?" familiar voice beat at my ears, and I had to keep from flinching with how deafening the sound rang.

Ah, just what I was trying to avoid so early in the morning.

Almost lazily, I adjusted the position of the bishop slumbering on my back extra careful that I didn't wake her, before turning to the mask of anger my sister wore. Fiery blue eyes glared daggers from across the hall as she beheld my form, her arms hurriedly crossed over her chest as a foot silently began to tap with expectation. She was trembling now, her face contorted in anger born of worry as a shaky arm rose and pointed an accusing finger at me, or rather us.

Normally, my well-mannered sister wouldn't be so loud as to wake up someone slumbering, but she was in a state of such shock that I don't think it occurred to her.

I guess I should explain what she's seeing.

Currently I was carrying Mihae, now dressed in a skintight suit and an outer robe both the darkest black in color, on my back as she slept with her chin nestled on my shoulder as quiet breaths escaped her. My bishop was more cute than elegant when she slept, and without the formal robes guarding her form, she looked more like an innocent child on my back, one tuckered out by whatever activity we occupied ourselves with. She was asleep and in the end, immaculate after our little training session with not even a single tear adorning her black silken robes.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?" The voice, if ever it was possible, grew even louder.

I was an entirely different story.

My clothing was torn all over, totally ruined that barely anything covered my upper body as I stalked my castle halls. What wasn't burned was most definitely charred and cracking. A thin layer of ash covered the cloth that wasn't totally burned away and the smell of smoke permeated the air I had passed though. My hair was a bit singed and I think I looked a bit like a reverse Azazel -that was black on blond instead of the other way around. All things considered, that was the only obvious indicator in the picture that something was wrong, and I wouldn't be surprised if anyone else was calling me out on it.

A half naked guy that seemed to have just escaped a burning building carrying and uninjured girl was a strange sight to see, especially with those from the Phenex family. Why, you may ask? Well, lets start by saying that our regeneration was special in that it was like how invisibility was supposed to work; it was supposed to cover our clothes too. So seeing me half naked in the middle of the night may have ticked her off to the fact that, yeah, I had momentarily lost my ability to regenerate.

After all, one of the ways to kill one of the Phenex was to tire them out to a certain extent.

"It's not as bad as you think." I couldn't exactly gesture reassuringly since both my hands were supporting a particularly nice ass, but it wasn't the time to enjoy that. "And keep it down, would you? You'll wake her."

"Her? What about you?" She hissed, her voice dropping so that only I could hear her now that she had closed the distance between us. She jerked her hands forward, only to clench them into fists as she remembered that I had no more collar for her to grab threateningly. Seeing as she wasn't about to grab what was left of my pants, she settled for jabbing an accusing finger into my chest. "How in the nine Hells did this happen?"

"I promise that it's not as bad as you think." I tried again, really just saying the first things that come to my mind and trying my best not to give ground. The ladies in the family seemed to smell fear after all, so I thought that I stand my ground and everything will be fine. As long as I don't give her any reason to worry, she shouldn't worry. Right?

She raised an elegant eyebrow, her voice growing colder and colder as she spoke each word. "So you _didn't_ lose your ability to regenerate after training your other bishop?"

Well, this was going down hill fast. "...Okay so it is as bad as you think, but it's all part of training. What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger and we're immortal, so stop worrying too much."

"Unbelievable. You promised me that you would do no more crazy experiments and then you do something like this." There was genuine frustration in her eyes, worry and anger as well as dwindling patience. That last bit may be because it's already past her bed time, but the first few was undoubtedly my fault. Stupid little sister worrying too much, now I feel like I just kicked the equivalent of a puppy here.

"I promised no more secrets, and I did say I would be training everyone. This is how I train them, and how I train myself." She had benefited as well, though not as much since I would never really lay a hand on the princess of Phenex. I guess the disconnect came from the fact that I just improved her imagery rather than any true physical attribute. We did things like painting and poetry while others worked on speed and strength, so she was somewhat spared from most of the hardship. The drain circles was as far as I went with my little sister's training. "I'll be fine, Rae, just let me put Mihae to bed."

Her eyes softened at the nickname, one rarely heard now that we were all supposedly living separately, and she finally relented. "Don't get too carried away, okay? You don't have to be like Ruval-oniisama."

"Oh, my little girl is worried about me." I gushed with the goofiest smile I could muster. "If I wasn't giving Mihae a piggyback I would _so_ be cuddling with you."

I took the roll of her eyes to be that everything was alright and watched her go the other way as I continued on to my room. At this point, it was more everyone and anyone else's room since I didn't exactly sleep anymore, but that was moot point since it gave me a good place to drop anyone who did faint after training.

It happened more often than not, especially since I up the ante every time we do train. The only way they wouldn't fall unconscious is if they improved faster than I projected them improving; which was happening... every other day. They were improving very quickly all things considered, but that went without saying that not even they could compare to my own growth.

If I didn't already say so, the System of this universe allows other systems to work within it as long as it was sensible.

Sorry, I meant convenient.

That's how magicians exist after all, they made their own systems after examining the magic of devils, angels, and the gods of different pantheons. I saw no reason it wasn't possible to make it that other systems would work, and quite frankly the results have been much more than I expected.

You know the time slowing down perspective? That move was courtesy of the Atlas Alchemists: Thought Acceleration allowing thought to be, duh, accelerated to any degree depending on the amount of energy given. If I was human, there would be a limit to how 'fast' I would be able to think, but now that I'm a devil I could basically 'stop time' with how quickly I process things. It would be no exaggeration to say that I am in fact thinking at the speed of light, and I haven't even started learning Memory Partition properly, which would allow me even better calculation power.

Hey! Looking at things this 'fast' wasn't nearly the most unfair thing in the world. Supposedly the Divine Dividing wings could propel its user even _faster_ than light...

And Issei somehow caught up to that in the same battle...

Because of tits...

And if that didn't call for a facepalm.

Thinking isn't as good as moving though, like the classic 'seeing the bullet but being unable to avoid it' and that really was crippling sometimes. It's exactly the phenomenon that occurred when I forced myself to observe Mihae's version of the Waves of the Peacock's Wings, where I couldn't dodge or block until...

Nope, I didn't even want to think about it.

I cursed my munchkin tendencies for what transpired during that event, especially when I was so fixated on overwhelming power rather than practicality. Archer and his past self did it best when they showed that even fakes could destroy a king if the latter was not careful, and I promised not to make that same mistake. That in mind, the inspiration and the warning given by the son caused me to turn my eyes towards the father who was the source of the lethally pragmatic mindset.

I saw no reason for me not to pursue Innate Time Control, the deterioration it would cause next to nothing when faced with regeneration faster than Avalon and a body that was not human. I would probably learn that next, maybe use it when playing with my knights if I manage to get it down fast enough. It would be nice to actually be able to move at a much faster speed, especially when I intended to go against a boy who would soon be able to beat me almost instantly as soon as he gets his arm working.

Hell with how mana worked, I could learn Senjutsu, or at least a variant, and that would propel me well into Bael-class or something.

Nasuverse mechanics were just so easy to deal with since it's a lot like Minovsky Physics in terms of structure; it has a structure so grounded in itself that to 'imagine' it at work would simply mean applying the system itself.

Okay, that was confusing so let me put it like this: creating, and subsequently casting, spells was like making a tool. You had a goal in mind, in this case making a wooden spoon, so now we had to deal things like materials, method of creation, the actual structure of the object, the skill required in making the object and other stuff. You had a goal, but you had to deal with all those other problems that would have an effect on the end product in some manner, and this was the 'imagining' of the spell as well as its effects. Not to mention that the method of actualization itself would affect it's effectiveness as as spell.

Issei struggled with this when he crafted his two spells, Dress Break and Bilingual. He knew what he wanted to do, but how to actually do it was a bit of a problem for him.

Let us study the former; he was limited to touch range, instead of say sight and he had to apply a circle which needed a few boosts instead of just instant spell-casting. The up-sides though included the no-limit fallacy inherent in the spell, that it absolutely worked no matter what the 'dress' might have been. The conditions that needed to be met were extremely specialized, but it never failed no matter what the opponent was, bypassing magic defense and tearing whatever physical defense apart, as long as a woman donned what was to be the dress.

In the most astonishing instance, he stripped Asia of the construct that would have killed her when she was captured by Astaroth, even when said construct should have been guarded by magic surpassing even Rias' power of destruction.

Having a structure to actually work with made things much easier by giving you a manual. Now that you knew exactly what wood to use, how to carve it into a shape, which is also given, as well as what steps you need to take, you almost always end up with that wooden spoon. With this manual, all you needed to actually do is put in the effort, or energy, into making the spoon. That's precisely how I managed to make a wooden spoon capable of allowing my brain to process at a speed close to transcending time itself.

Simply 'Imagining' it working according to the instructions should have been enough, though further testing was required to determine the limit of such actions. I would have to test it if its more viable than normal Reinforcement, because definitely Alteration was a no go now that this body was just so tied to the five elements. I maybe test it now but my bishops would be bothered, and I'm pretty sure that she doesn't deserve that after what I put her though. I also didn't want my sister even angrier than she already was.

With Mihae at my back, I realized things. I scanned second-hand memories, looked through every scene, listened to every word and I found nothing. I pondered long and even harder, at memories not even ours to begin with, recordings of battles and I see nothing. I watched him as he seduced them, as he whispered sweet nothings, as he kissed them like they were his and in each shadowed scene, in each hideaway, I found nothing.

Funny, this asshole, this idiot, never did anything to hurt his girls.

Not.

Even.

Once.

And now, after maybe breaking their hearts, I put them through hell.

Now I've personally raised my hand and struck one of them down with an attack I had no intention of using on anyone less than an enemy.

I never thought I would ever be in a position where I was _worse_ than this fried chicken.

Sure they never trained, but he always made sure that they went down under decisive blows, to minimize the pain as much as possible. They would love him more ever after since most if not all of his wins had his hand directing the battle, where he would enter the fray and drown the enemy in a sea of hellfire. When he did lose, it was to people they respected, people of higher station, and he always took the lead. He would fight alone, and he would fall alone while his pieces stood back and watched him throw the fight. As twisted as it was, they may have actually loved him and I took even that away from them.

I'll give in and say that I'm evil, but I'm not heartless. They may be pieces on the board but Goddammit -Hell the hurts- they were mine.

MINE

I gave them strength, as much as they could carry so that they would serve me well but also so that they too could rise up in this society that favors not but true power. If the Phenex gave their powers to those they cared for by giving away part of their very souls, each of them held a part of mine. I wanted them to stand strong, to tower above opposition because they were mine; not as my women, not as my consorts, not as my lovers, not as my servants but they were mine. I would say that I had no idea what they were to me but they were mine.

They were mine.

And if this trend continued, then I would be hurting them.

I couldn't exactly just horde power to myself and trust that I would be enough all the time. No that was the easiest way to get them killed, leaving them all weak and centralizing power to myself. But if I kept training them in such a manner, if I don't take precautions like the way I simply underestimated the situation, they would get hurt.

And I would be the one hurting them.

And I just couldn't take that.

Maybe its a devil thing, but I cared for them more than I thought I would.

The Gremory guard their servants like they would family.

The Bael watch over their peerage like a commander over their soldiers.

The Astaroth view their pieces as prized treasures in their collections.

Haa...

Maybe I should have considered taking a break for a while.

Weeks of pouring over notes and tomes, in keeping up with this worlds magic system as well as any other system I could remember or imagine did wonders to my options, to increase the variety I had in battle, but that was all that occupied my head since the beginning. I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm pretty sure that I'm set until volume five assuming everything goes according to plan and several contingencies, but that road of confidence is ruinous for pride always cometh before the fall.

The path of paranoia is just as destructive for with power comes pain and with pain comes madness. The strength I wield is power gained after a few weeks, power enough to best a 'mature' White Dragon Emperor if all goes well, but the price I have paid was equally steep. Power comes at a price, and that price is one Fate could collect at any moment. My machinations do not go ignored in this world, and the more I change, even if only myself, will change much. Exactly how much of a change, I do not know and therefore I am prompted to claim more power for myself: forbidden strength from the abyss of madness.

This may be the Alien Commonsense of Demons, a significant source of power to be sure, but not the only one in my arsenal. Prana Burst works, both of the Holy Sword and the God Killing Lance, while Reinforcement, Thought Acceleration, Transmutation and Elemental Magecraft are others. Hopefully Memory Partition, Innate Time Control, will soon be included. I do not think that I would be able to imitate feats such as the Reality Marbles, or some of the more powerful Noble Phantasms like the Blades of Rupture, Ea and Slash Emperor, but the Marble Phantasm may be within my reach if I put enough effort into using my power of Imagination to control the World around me.

As long as I believed the world could work in this manner, it should work after all.

Oh, and this was just some of the Nasuverse spells, there were so many more, less detailed systems, waiting to be tested.

But it was a vicious cycle I had found myself in, the classic terror of power and how as one gains, one only begins wanting more. I definitely needed a break before all this power, this hunger that seemed to be tearing me apart, consumed me.

As soon as put my little bishop to bed then.

After that, I would relax, even if it killed me.

Wait... something was wrong with that thought.

* * *

Walking through the bustling streets of a sunlit city, I couldn't help but think I was tempting fate a bit here.

It was nice, taking a break, even if something in the back of my mind said it just couldn't last.

I tried to ignore that part as much as possible as I stalked the town, admiring the sights I never once took for granted. Being stuck in a hospital did that to you, and when white was all I could see, even a splash of color was luxury.

I mean, don't get me wrong the scenery was beautiful. The oranges and purples that tinted the sky, the way the setting sun shone through trees, the sound of cars passing by with slow quieting hums, the feel of the air as it swept past warm and cold and all too imperfect; all those gave me a sense of flawed normalcy, an anchor to what most people believed was the 'real world'. I wasn't a devil rising to power, or a king over his subject, not even a madman in a world he already knows, but just a guy in a simple jacket strolling across town with nothing on his mind.

Sorry for speaking in third person, but everything was just peaceful.

I just walked aimlessly, really, popping into shops to check out wares, maybe picking up a book or two when I passed a store with no real goal in mind. I tried to leave it all behind for awhile, all the thoughts of powers and strengths, of deaths inevitable and battles not yet fought as I walked the length of the beautiful city.

I was almost jealous of the people here; humans with no care in the world. Oh no, they were in no less danger, maybe even in more if you consider their actual combat potential, but the saying held true when they said ignorance was bliss. They had no idea what occurred, the battles and the bloodshed, and they could live relatively quiet lives that way, not plagued by the coming end.

I guess if and when it does come, they would simply be surprised when they fall, unlike we who have prepared for it, and yet would fall all the same.

Speaking of falling...

"Hyaa!"

The world slowed down as I sighed, this actually happened more often than you think.

I was simply walking, this place looks to be the park instead of the main street, and every so often a girl would scream out for some reason. Mostly its because they tripped, and really that happened way to many times, or some breeze went by to blow up skirts definitely too short to be considered decent. It really begged the question as to why they wore them in the first place, especially when things like this kept happening. I get it's summer now, and the weather can be a little uncomfortable, but they wear the exact same skirts to match their winter uniforms.

Sometimes, I really don't understand the way women in general think.

I watched a school girl cover her delicate before any human could glimpse them; no surprise there considering black lingerie was a bit too risque for students. I bore witness to a woman tripping over her heels before catching herself, and that was made ever funnier since she was dressed in more respectable clothing, maybe a CEO of some other company. A secretary or two spilled coffee when a gentle zephyr gave me a clear view of innocent white, and I think I found flowers on my stroll through city when a housewife rushed passed.

Maybe I'll be treated to something less generic, or maybe even nothing at all if the person is daring enough. To my surprise, I don't know if I should say satisfaction, there were those who wore safety shorts underneath and thereby protected their modesty. Really people should follow watch themselves more, and even if such a sight is pleasurable, seeing it too much will wear away the novelty of it at one point.

Like how Kill la Kill turned nudity into such a bad joke that I doubt that drawings of naked women would ever get me hot and bothered ever again.

Alright, what's the damage this time?

Stripes, what greeted my eyes were blue and white stripes and time seemed to move again as I looked around.

Oh hell no.

Well, I was asking for it after choosing to be here in the first place.

Taking a few tentative steps, I think for a second and try to weigh my options given the situation at hand.

On one hand, I could simply ignore this little development and walk away, much like I have been doing all day and would be doing well into the night before my little sister senses start tingling. All in all this is a less stressful option, as well as one with the least risk when it comes to being detected, or worrying all parties involved. If I just keep walking by, then everything goes according to plan, there will be no chance that things change before they have too and I get a quick ticket to power now that everything is finally looking up.

On the other, there was a little girl there, one that held an uncanny resemblance to my little sister, and I had no idea if she was doing fine or not. At the back of my mind, she's in pain and she needs someone to hold on too, even if in my eyes she would easily shake it off and get back on her feet... as soon as she recovers form her dizzy fit. Somewhere in the great universe, she is the reason for my defeat, the one factor that turned the tide in the end when all seemed lost to the hero. She could be, she was, my ruin and even now she may be the only thing needed to ruin everything.

But what kind of gentleman would I be if I decide to abandon a sweet little girl.

And with that thought in mind, I approach the recovering form of Asia Argento.

She was just as small and meek as the anime portrayed her, the picture of innocence as she rubbed her head and knelt on the ground. I couldn't help but smirk as she looked around, a light dust of rose on her cheeks like a child caught doing something silly just in time for a camera flash. Despite her being a devil, there was a strange aura around her, like her very own magic seemed to make the world around her all the more bearable, a little bit more like God -COULD YOU CUT THAT OUT!- is here despite the darkest faults of humanity.

It was like watching a meeker Ravel all things considered, and I could just feel the shiver down my spine as I approached.

Girls like that were dangerous, especially because they never mean any harm.

"You alright, sweetheart?" I could only giggle, yeah that's right _giggle,_ as her eyes snapped over to me and she blushed an even brighter shade of red. "You didn't take to much of a fall, right?"

"Um... no, I mean everything's fine but..." Alright, now if she could weaponize that expression, you know the one where a puppy looks like if its deciding to fall asleep or to try and continue playing, I'm sure the Devils would have won the Great War by now. "It's just that... ano..."

"Alight, let's just get you fixed up." I had to take control of the tempo here, or she would have me wrapped up around her finger even when she doesn't even know it. Shut up, I know I have a weakness for cute things, and yes I'm dreading the moment I meet someone like Ophis.

I offered the sweet little thing my hand, one she gladly took I helped her up. She was much lighter than what I would have expected from a female supposedly in the second year of high school, but then again that was probably the improved strength talking. Don't worry, I was the perfect gentleman, making sure to kneel down just so I can adjust her clothes, the school uniform she wore now dusty and ruffled up from the fall. I couldn't exactly do much about the dust without resorting to magic, but at the very least when I backed away, her uniform was clear of creases.

"Better?" I may have been overdoing it a bit as when my eyes finally met hers once more, she seemed to be all panicky about it.

The way she looked away and twiddled her was nothing short of devastating, and for a girl who was supposedly too innocent to know when guys were making advances, she seemed to have trouble having people baby her. She was mumbling incoherently, and though I couldn't understand what she said I vaguely remembered her history. More than the love of a man, she always dreamed of the love of a family; enter now the Big Brother Aura I've been projecting non-stop since my entrance into the human world.

Maybe I have some avenue of attack after all. Let's see just how far I can take this.

"Hey, you okay little one?" Of course, there's a million ways to get her attention at this point, but since I have decided to push this as far as possible I go use the most 'in your face' method. With delicate fingers, I tap on her nose and flash her a gentle smile as her eyes once more zero on me.

Of course at that moment she was already starting to regain her senses, but that sudden action caused enough surprise in her that she reacted how most people did. She flinched back. But this is Asia we're talking about, and even if she was a shy, meek, and innocent little girl, we have to emphasize little girl in most situations, so when she flinched back, she _really_ flinched back.

Like a startled little kitten, she leapt back in surprise possessing all the jumping power of the little animal but definitely none of the balance and finesse. As a result, she was reduced to flailing her arms about as she struggled to regain her balance after her landing, all the while as I watched with growing affection. Really, this was just like watching a baby animal show; as long as you have nothing against cute things, you're bound to fall in love with those bundles of fur.

Anyway, she had exactly one and a quarter second before she began leaning back and falling once more, intent on landing badly with just how much she moved in a futile attempt to regain balance. Well, that was why I allowed this situation to happen to begin with, and so with speed just at the limits of what humans are capable of, I take a step forward.

My arm snaked its way to the small of her back as my other hand clasped one of her flailing wrists with a gentle but firm grip. I hold her up and hold her close, smiling at the nun turned devil before righting her once more, eyes studying how she would react. It must have been a weird scene, straight out of a dance if my posture was correct; at the very least she seemed to think so, her arms slack as she stared in silence, unable to muster enough power to shake herself out of the trance.

I don't know how long we stay like that, though I could't have been for more than a minute: the lighting hasn't changed from vermilion to light lavender yet. Either way, whatever moment we had ended when I placed her arm back to her side and take a step back, breaking away from her with a self-satisfied nod. I don't know if I imagined it but she fought herself from shifting with me, leaning into my touch while it lasted and becoming quite at a loss now that the momentary warmth was gone.

What I'm sure I didn't imagine was a noise that almost brought out my wrath. "ASIA!" His main concern was the little girl of course, though what was once worry turned to suspicion when my eyes met his. "Who is this?"

I fought back the glare that would form, keeping my aura in check, as my eyes fell on what was to be my downfall. "Issei-san!" Asia beside me seemed to take his call as the signal to rush to her side, taking a tentative look at me before once more addressing the perverted dragon. "It's just a misunderstanding. I just fell and... um..."

"I think it would be fitting that I introduce myself to the lady first." I give her an understanding smile before bowing my head, low enough to show respect but high enough to ensure equality at most. "Mifune Suzaku, at your service." I turn to the boy, the one who would be destroyed this time, and smiled as convincingly as I possibly could. "You should take care of you're little sister more, poor thing was tripping over herself trying to... catch up to you?"

That got her attention, Asia once more stuttering denials as Issei seemed to be wondering what could have gotten her so worked up. "Thank you for your help, Suzaku-san, but it isn't like that."

"Oh, well my apologies then, what was I thinking." No need to hold back now and its always best to test banter outside a fight first. "Asia-san called you Issei-san, correct?" He nodded. "Then you shouldn't have left your lover alone. I personally don't think she's old enough to qualify as such, but that doesn't allow you to just run so far ahead of her. What if she had gotten hurt?"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Now it was Issei's turn panic, Asia having been silenced after that particular comment. The little girl adored the pervert so much she didn't even catch the tidbit about me seeing her as a child. "I think you're really reading too much into this, Mifune. I mean, yeah its my bad that I left her alone and I would hate for her to get hurt, but we're not like that!"

I looked to Asia, smiling at her weakly as the blushing face of a maiden in love shifted into an unforgiving frown, and went back to the oblivious pervert. "Could have fooled me, Issei-san." I shook my head, both alleviate the ache that was starting to take hold as well as to signal to the girl that, no hitting the boy for being an idiot would not help. "I am curious though. If you don't mind my asking, what had you in such a hurry that you sped ahead of your... companion?"

"Issei, Asia! Where are you two?"

Ah, so it really is just think of the Devil and she would appear. I really didn't think it would work though, and now the true test begins.

Descriptions easily fail to do her justice though, from the novel's words to images drawn, nothing could prepare me for the woman I was supposed to marry. Perhaps this was their trait at work, and if a male Gremory could easily garner the love of women no matter the age, it was no surprise that their one daughter was beautiful beyond words. She was... well I wouldn't say angelic or divine considering the implications, but I wouldn't deny that she easily surpassed any in my peerage in the looks department.

Her figure was one cut from marble, a work of art in itself with how perfect her proportions were and I almost envied the pervert for seeing her naked form first, before even the one she was beholden to. Her hair was a lush river cut from the sunset, red so crimson that even blood, and I have seen blood, couldn't compare to the radiance it held in the dying sunlight. Emeralds searched for her children, those of her peerage, with the gentleness of a mother and a light that would make any heart skip a beat.

I would admit if it wasn't in my head that all this could simply be Glamour at work, I might have fallen for her on the spot.

Well played, Gremory, well played indeed.

"Buchou, we're sorry we're late." Issei said with renewed energy as both he and the girl hiding behind him joined their King. "I kind of lost Asia on my way there."

"It's my fault, Buchou." Asia spoke up from behind the boy. "I tripped a few times- "A few times? So it really does happen more often than I thought. "-so I couldn't catch up to Issei-san."

"Don't worry about them." Alright, she shouldn't be able to smile like that, especially with what's hanging over her head. "As long as you two are safe, it's fine. It was a simple job anyway, it doesn't matter that you two weren't there to see it." It took her a while to finally notice my presence, but when she finally did it was with a polite smile.

"You must be the one who took care of these two. I am Rias Gremory, you have my thanks for taking care of these children." She began slowly, almost unsure as to what comes next. She must have been confused to some extent, though her polite persona couldn't condone leaving me to my devices after 'taking care' of her two 'friends'.

I gladly gave her an out. "The pleasure was mine, Miss Gremory. I am Mifune Suzaku and I must say Asia was a delight to be with, despite the short time we spent together." Alright, so far so good; there's no look of suspicion in her eyes, just simple understanding as she gave a quick nod. I guess that means I can press my advantage. "I'll leave the two lovebirds to it then. Nice meeting you, Miss Gremory."

I caught a glimpse of her shadowed expression as I left. I heard the goodbyes of both the nun and the pervert but aside from that, there was nothing that stopped me from strolling out of the park and on my merry way.

It was awkward, it was clunky and there wasn't much purpose to that, but at the very least I knew that the disguise worked, and they were either shit at sensing or I had enough control to keep the feel of a Devil out of it. Infiltration was a success, now my newest problem was how to make this work for me a bit more.

I know...

Maybe I can wait a few days before I bring the hammer down.

As the metal was not yet hot, I guess it is only appropriate that I personally fan the flames.

* * *

"It's been a while since I've been to the human world."

Yup, after weeks of preparation, and infiltration, we're finally here. I was currently standing in the middle of their old school building, in the room where the Occult Research Club while Rias and her meager army watch my back. I could already feel their stared boring into me, picking up curiosity from some of the younger members and killing intent from the one I actually came to see.

Even with my eyes apparently admiring the rustic yet noble decor of the room, I was sizing them up while they wore their power like one would don bright clothing. All of them, save Grayfia of course, had certain power about them that even if none actually exerted it outright, it provided a measure of their strength for me to compare to my own.

Frankly, I wasn't impressed.

At this point, most of them felt weak, almost laughably so that it made Riser losing the way he did even more humiliating now that I could actually quantitatively describe their power levels.

Asia Argento, well she was really a non-factor when it came to pure combat, but her affinity for healing was something that put even my Phoenix Tears to shame. Of course, prior statement was only true to rating games, when the totally hax Phoenix Tears were restricted to two uses, but that was the combat situation so there was no getting around the fact that they had more healing potential than we had. In terms of pure power though, as far as what I felt went, I would rate her a solid fifteen to maybe thirty, depending on how much her power would spike during the actual game.

Kiba Yuuto was more of a front-line fighter than a support unit, though he is definitely one of the most versatile members of their team. His Sacred Gear is even more unfair given the nigh-limitless possibilities when making his swords. I have an inkling that even this is imagination powered more than anything, and that limits it's potential only to the creativity of the user. In truth, I fear for what he would be able to accomplish if he ever looks up Bleach, maybe Fate/Stay Night, and Inuyasha for inspiration; his Holy Demonic Swords really are just a waste of potential. His power level peaks around a general fifty, definitely dangerous when you take Gift into account.

Shirone, because I think it's degrading to call her 'kitten', is by far the most durable of them all, her station as a rook doing very well for her even before she had begun embracing her heritage. Her frame and natural agility is very close to casual knight level, while her strength and durability have much more room to grow considering her inexperience with senjutsu. I don't know how much effort she expended in defeating Xuelan in the anime and novels, but the fact that she did so while having more than enough power to go on was already a testament to her skill. Overall I would rate her an easy sixty five, only greater than Kiba since I would think she would win should they have a true confrontation.

Ignoring Gaspar for the moment, Akeno was undoubtedly the most powerful among them. She specialized in lightning magic, but it was that same lighting magic that managed to defeat my queen, who was powerful even before we began training. This is even made more impressive when you think about is, since it doesn't even have the holy affinity Baraqiel was feared for and yet it still defeated an experienced queen. Assuming she has no close combat experience to speak of, I would respectfully rate her power at a decent five hundred, much higher than the other kids since they were taken out by a single explosion from my own queen, tired or not.

Rias Gremory, the woman whose Glamour -come on, no on is that pretty- is still affecting me, was a threat due to her power of destruction though she was the least threatening to be perfectly honest. At this point, she was either a master manipulator or horribly incompetent but when it comes to combat it was quite obvious that she was the latter. It might have been just the curse of their power, since even Sirzechs doesn't strike me was imaginative, just plain overpowered. I would say that her power, not counting her skill in using it, would land her a respectable one thousand five hundred, only because she managed to last against me, as well as my queen in combined assault, regardless of how much power we were putting into it.

The pervert, at this moment in time, was at very best a one.

Yeah, it was that bad, again making the end defeat much, much more humiliating but not altogether impossible.

Assuming old Riser was around the thrice the power level as Rias, three on one being the least odds for guaranteed victory, it would still be fine. Promotion to queen is an increase by the factor of nine, coupled by his max boost which would be around twelve, grants a total multiplier in excess of thirty six thousand. That would grant a total power almost above my own current base strength after the non-stop training, and we're not even counting the Holy objects he had.

I hate to admit it, but in terms of pure damage dealing, he would probably win a straight up fight against me if he simply boosts the cross and holy water while Scale Mail remains active.

It was no surprise old Riser conceded that with Scale Mail even Issei was a monster. Hell, given base power alone, I'm sure that if this math is perfectly accurate, he would be my equal after promotion and twelve boosts.

Good thing none of that mattered no that I've made sure to take precautions. So with a genuine smile plastered on my face, I turn to greet my tentative fiance. "My lovely Rias. I came to see you."

This scene was always a bit forced for me, even when seen through the anime, but now that I was there it seemed even more ridiculous just how Issei was reacting in the middle of his fellow peerage members. Even Asia was able to reign in her emotions, though not by much, compared to the boy who seemed to like wearing his heart on his sleeve. Most of them silently seethed as I spoke in such a loving manner, Asia being an exception being definitely surprise, but Issei was special.

He was trying, and subsequently failing, to pick up his jaw from the ground as I flashed my 'beloved' a smile. If I read the novel right, he was wondering what was going on around now, as I make my approach with all the grace a noble could afford. Grayfia, the only outlier here, was stoic as could be, reacting as if this was just another day in the office for her; I'm sure it was considering everything Lucifer did as a crazy bastard.

"Now dear, we have to pay a visit to the ceremony hall. It's been beautifully arranged for us, but then again I would prefer that we see it just to make sure everything is perfect for the big day." Like the man himself, I ignore her semi-attractive glare as I approach as casually as possible and wonder how angry sex with her must feel like; it must be something if her desperation sex is just jumping in there with whoever was willing.

To keep in line with what happened, I take her hand, arm is a bit too rapey for me, as gently as possible and raised it to my lips before she could utter a word of protest. I'm sure this Issei must be outraged by now, I'm playing with his precious King and he can't do anything about it.

"...Let go of me Riser..." It didn't matter whether or not she saw that particular attack coming, she shook my hand off all the same as she threatened me with an ominous tone. I had to struggle not to flinch as her hand moved, the back of her palm milimeters from striking my cheek as she crossed her arms and I returned my to my sides.

She was positively furious, not like it particularly mattered at this point, as her power unconsciously began to flow throughout the room, not enough to bring out the glow of power we tended to radiate when we actually got serious, but more than enough to make any lesser being sweat. I smirked as the novel dictated but not at Rias being adorably angry and more at the reaction of her peerage, mainly Issei, at my less than acceptable actions.

I'm trying to mix it up bit but all in all I need things to go canon for the moment.

It should come any time now. "Hey, you. You're being rude to Buchou." I would admit that actually hearing him talk seriously was amazing, all the other times we did meet after that awkward bump was 'oppai' this and 'harem' that. I did say something about preparing the furnace before striking the iron, so of course a bit of stuff happened between then and now. This is the first time I ever saw him angry in person, but his next line was quite funny. "Actually, what's with that attitude towards a girl?"

There was a certain humor that accompanied his clearly hypocritical statement, and though he didn't see it, the rest of his peerage seemed to find his choice of words inappropriate considering his own reputation. Again, I've spent enough time discussing anime, both M-rated and otherwise, with him to know that as good of a guy as he was at heart, if you could even call him that, he was still a baseless pervert in the end.

I tried to hold on to that feeling of disbelief when I looked at him, the warmth of my expression quickly vanishing as I stared at him like he was an idiot. Really, he was so at least that part wasn't as difficult. I fought down the urge to smile as he began fuming, the festering anger at being looked down on rising within him yet had no notable or intimidating effect on the feel of his power. It was adorable all things considered, like a joke executed so horrible that you had no choice but to laugh, if only to numb the headache such an attempt on humor left.

"Who are you again?" The novel said that he sounded displeased, and it didn't happen in the anime, but I tried to sound more genuinely confused at the moment. Kind of like the way you would talk to a girl who was for some reason in the men's room; definitely perplexed at the situation. I tried not to channel hatred into my voice or my aura, only because he really wasn't worth expending so much energy over.

It was kind of the ant and the boot thing, where the boot doesn't exactly pay attention to the ant when said ant can't hope to damage the boot.

I guess he isn't that bad of an idiot, if he managed to connect my confusion to the fact that I was really looking down on him. "I am the servant Devil of Rias Gremory-sama! I'm the Pawn, Hyoudou Issei!" I was astonished at how much pride he managed to inject in a sentence that admitted he was a servant, and once more in my eyes he was just that stupid.

"Hmm." I played with the revelation for a while eyes upwards as I brought my fingers to my chin. I pondered a bit: it was such a waste that potential like the Boosted Gear was wasted on this pervert. It really called into question why it went to him, when the sacred gear was supposed to match the wielder more often than not. That was a problem for another day, I've stalled for enough time to make this next comment more hurtful "Is it just me, or was that second question a bit strange?"

I have no doubt that this would ultimately lead to the rating game, as long as I antagonize Rias enough, so there was no reason I couldn't do a bit of a roast here.

I am a firebird after all.

Sure enough, I had a few reactions around the room; Kiba actually chuckling despite himself, while the more loyal Akeno fought back the smile that flashed on her lips. Shirone shook her head and muttered something about Issei being a pervert, and Asia, the innocent soul, simply continued staring at me with confusion. Rias's eyes widened in surprise, the makings of a smile on her lips as she remembered who told the joke, and then she was all anger and brooding again, probably chiding herself since she was dealing with a supposed 'master seducer'.

Issei was just confused, the joke flying way above his head. "Huh?"

So in my benevolence, I decided to help him out. "I don't know you, and I'm sure Rias hasn't introduced me, but something in the air tells me you are the last person to be telling me how to treat women." I took a few sniffs, as if tasting the air for something that definitely wasn't there, but they and more specifically he didn't need to know that. "Are you, perhaps, a shameless pervert?"

His reaction to the question was priceless: equal parts disbelieving that I managed to 'find out' through smell of all things, anger that I was being so casual about it even if he was trying to be as intimidating as possible and shame that it was true and he really wasn't the most qualified on lecturing me about proper treatment of women. He seemed to be struggling to form a comeback when Grayfia stepped forward and began the introductions.

There was not much I could do form her on out now that she took the wheel, though his reaction to the engagement was quite funny. Like everyone else though, he suddenly turned serious when he realized that Rias didn't exactly approve of the engagement and when her willingness was in question the situation became less of a joke and more of a crisis. The lull in excitement was what allowed Grayfia to usher us to the couches, and like the novel, we were separated so that I sat with Rias ans they were left to arrange themselves in whatever manner they wished.

It was at this moment that they decided to talk among themselves, so to try to break the awkward silence between us, I made the first move to strike a conversation. "The tea made by your queen is exquisite, Rias." Okay, not the best conversation starter by I'm more of a reactive guy. You give me something to work with before I quip and snark like there's no tomorrow. "Thank you, Akeno."

"You're very welcome." Ohh, that was cold, forced politeness dripping from her throat as she smiled at me with lidded eyes. Ignoring her then, as good and good looking as she is I don't really mind if she gets stuck with the perverted idiot. The only real reason why I'm here is that there is no reason for me to decline the marriage between us, especially since my parents really did arrange all of this with the Gremory family.

Rias had the right idea, the only real way out is to give ourselves away to another party, something that further proved that Riser wasn't as much of a philanderer as the anime portrayed, but if any one of us did that it would tarnish our family name. I have no idea about Rias, but my mother would go nuclear -I am being literal here- if word got out that I was sleeping around so for the safety of 'friend' I would rather remain faithful thank you very much.

Another strange tidbit was that I was actually one of the favorites among the male 'Young Devils' in the current generation. I mean I was second to Sairaorg and even now that was a gap I'm not exactly sure I would be able to close, but the fact that I was the next best thing, again the discrepancy in quality was very large, landed me a spot as one of the most eligible and desirable bachelors. Rias being tied for first among the females I think, just a bit behind Sona when tactics are considered, made us hooking up look like a match made in ... you get the point.

She didn't reply, and that was to be expected but when I was about to try and continue our one-sided discussion, canon stepped in. "Stop it already!" Well, that was quick, and I haven't even said anything yet.

She was on her feet in a heartbeat, eyes glaring down at me. "Raiser! I told you before! I will not marry you!"

"Yeah, I heard that before. But Rias, that won't do, you know? I think the situation of your household is quite serious." I for one, just smirked, knowing full well how this conversation goes.

"That's none of your concern! If I'm the next heiress for the House of Gremory, then I will choose who will become my husband! My father, brother, and everyone in the clan are rushing it! Also it was a promise that I will be free until I graduate from university of the human world!"

"That's right. You will basically be free. You can go to college and you can do whatever you like with your servants. But your Otou-sama and Sirzechs-sama are worried. They are afraid that your household will become extinct. We lost a great number of pure-blood Devils in the last war. Even if the war has ended, our rivalry with the Fallen Angels and God hasn't ended yet. It's not rare for the successors of pure-blood Devil to get killed in the worthless battle against them, which leads to the household becoming extinct. So for a pure-blood Devil that also happens to be a High-class Devil, getting together would be the obvious solution for the forces of Devils. A pure-blood High-class Devil. Even you know that these children will be important from now on, right?"

I knew how it went, but I would say that the way he worded it was a bit too blunt. It really did give off the impression that all he cared about in this situation was his actual standing, and was using this to get another girl, his first girl, into his bed. Maybe that was how he actually felt, that after he does manage to get Rias, he would be able to fuck anyone he wanted as long as they gave consent. It was a win win, he would have a trophy wife as well as a massive harem waiting for him after he gets married.

But I'm not exactly like that, no matter how admittedly hot the girls were, so I decided to be a bit more lenient. "I don't need to explain the situation, but this marriage has your family's future on the line. I'm not saying that I'm the only option, but all parties involved would not deny that, unless you want to marry your cousin, I'm the best one. I doubt you want to let your nephew shoulder the responsibility, so unless you are unwilling to take a husband, you're family would soon be crushed. You would actually be the Crimson Princess of Ruin, and I'm sure no one wants that. Do you really want to continue to fight this, when everyone has your best interests at heart?"

I was walking on a delicately blurred line here, the moment I alluded to her nephew, the pressure of the Strongest Queen hit me full force. There was a hint of distaste as well when I mentioned the current Strongest Young Devil, but other than that I made sure my piece was more opinion than fact. Why would that help? It would look like I actually cared, and that this wasn't merely a factual negotiation of assets between two families. I tried to bridge the emotional gap, though I may have put a bit too much out there that it backfired.

Well, all according to plan after all.

Her eyes were narrowed, serious but no longer angry. "I will not ruin my own household and when the time comes, I will have a husband." She paused, eyes on me as if waiting for me to interrupt her though I give her a polite smile and nodded, signaling for her to continue. That was enough to disrupt her balance, but she continued on, the hint of hesitation almost too minuscule to perceive. "But I won't marry you, Raiser. I will marry the one I acknowledge. Even the Devils from the old noble house have the right to choose."

"Then it is clear we are at an impasse here." Shit, I was just about to threaten her when I realized that Grayfia has been eyeing me a bit strangely, almost as if waiting for me to slip up. Right now threatening her son doesn't seem to be the best course of action, forcing me to go for the more diplomatic approach. At the very least Issei still has no idea just how strong I really am and he seems more prone to underestimate people rather than overestimate them. "Grayfia-sama, are you here, perhaps, with a solution just in case we find ourselves in this particular situation?"

If the Strongest Queen was surprised that I didn't threaten to take Rias away and I somehow knew about their last resort, she didn't comment. It went much quicker when I wasn't so inclined to antagonize her at every turn, and soon enough she has both our sides in agreement. There, now the battle was set and all we had to do was wait for the agreement on date.

I was again at a cross roads, but if I was taking refuge in audacity then there was no turning back. I was supposed to be an asshole before, and considering I was still alive, then it shouldn't have had too much bearing on me right? I could get away with things for a moment, which meant that I would have to push my advantage now that the actual battle was all but confirmed.

In short that was my cue to start taunting.

"Rias, are these the only servants going to be participating?"

"And what if they are?" Her eye really did twitch as she summoned as much bravado as she could when facing my condescending smirk.

"Then I would call you stupid agreeing to this fight, against me of all people." I gestured towards her peerage, or the distinct lack of it before laughing through my nose. "Only your Queen, The Priestess of Thunder, would be able to fight on par with my servants. This wouldn't even be called a battle at this rate!" My fingers snapped, and the circle of summoning formed behind me as all fifteen servants of mine emerged from the roaring flames.

I told them that this was the last time they would get to wear their old attire, just so their first appearance here would be just like in canon. Marion and Bürent were in their maid uniforms, while Ni and Li, Ile and Nel, matched each other in their school uniforms. Mira was allowed her wooden stick and red kimono one last time, while Karlamine and Siris donned their respective armors. Isabela was a biker again, Mihae in her kimono and Xuelan in her open blue quipao, while Yubelluna retained her robes and Shuriya was once more a belly dancer.

Personally I didn't like how hodgepodge it was, sure it had all the types, but there was no true unifying factor which made it truly whole instead of plain messy. Of course, Issei didn't agree; the sight was enough to move him to tears. "Rias?" I began almost naturally, it really wasn't hard to mask my voice when I was genuinely perplexed as to how this situation could occur. "Is your pawn really crying?"

"That boy's dream is to have a harem." Rias was equally confused, if not a bit more resigned. "Seeing your servants was probably enough to move him."

"Gross."

"Raiser-sama, this person is freaking me out."

There was no mention of who said it, and I didn't want to follow the manga on this one; both twins are cute though I'm not and never been a loli person, so I tasked my maids for this line. I then took both in my arms, one over each's shoulder before I 'reassured' them than everything was fine. "Don't say that, my cute girls. Looking up to upper stream folks is what a lowly ones does. Let's show them how passionate we are."

I missed how Issei reacted to my archaic way of putting things when Mairon captured my lips with hers, in a fashion more aggressive than I would have liked. Thankfully, as being confined didn't allow me much practice, it was muscle memory from there, my hand gently making its way to the base of her neck as she threw her arms around me to deepen the contact. She was quite feisty if I would say, her tongue hungrily fighting mine as we engaged in a sort of dance, push and pull, coil and release. I could tell she liked the strawberries this morning, I could still taste the slightly sweet and sour tang in her mouth, while she smelled faintly of mint; very pleasant if I do say so myself.

As if given an invisible signal, she broke away from me, her eyes still hazy with desire as soft hands guided my cheeks to face the other woman I held. Bürent was more of a submissive lover, quite content to allow me to do what I wished instead of pushing herself into me as what her partner did. I hope I didn't disappoint, my own movements being dictated by half-forgotten memories not even mine in the first place, but with the way she was moaning into me, I don't thing I did that bad. I had a bit of trouble pulling away, apparently Bürent was a biter at least when I tried to break the contact, but after a few moments of tickling her tongue, I managed to escape before she could sink her fangs in me.

Note to self, taking away their only outlet for sexual frustration wasn't exactly the best idea. I mean, I like the idea of girls pining for my affections, even to the extent to them working together in and out of bed, but there is a time and place for that. Their sexual tendencies surfaced several times during training, and I'm thankful that I managed to keep them from doing anything more. Still, this repressed sexual desire must be dealt with, unless it gets to a point that I would have to make out with them in combat.

This isn't Campione after all, this was DXD.

I would have to either reinstate myself as their 'boy toy' so to speak just to keep sex from dominating their thoughts or set them up and hope that it ends well. Either way, this was not the time to think about how to sate the lust of my peerage, sans Ravel.

Shudder, nope, definitely not touching the incest route here.

Anyway, after smiling at the disappointing expressions of both my maids, I mouth 'later' to them before facing the pervert. There was a sense of pride in my eyes as I said exactly what he was thinking. "You will _never_ be able to do this." And funny thing is, it was probably true considering that only Akeno seemed willing to share in the near future.

"Don't say what I think you were saying! Damn it! Boosted Gear!" The fact that he admitted his sin gave me pause, but not as much as the revelation of the Boosted Gear did. It was that red gauntlet that pointed a clawed talon to me, power emanating from his arm so undeniable that I was ready to strike him down at any moment. "A womanizer like you isn't good enough to be with Buchou!"

"Huh? Weren't you looking up to the so-called womanizer?" It was just so easy to deal with this one, especially when it's scripted.

"S-Shut up! That's different with the thing about Buchou! At this rate, you will continue to flirt with other girls even after you marry Buchou!"

"Heroes love women. That's a saying in the human world, right? A good phrase indeed. But this is just a close relationship with my servants. Aren't you also getting adored by Rias?" Two for two, as one more time he gave pause, reminiscing about the different moments they were 'close'. I kiss my servants, passionately yes, but I'm pretty sure they haven't seen me naked yet.

"Hero my ass! You are just a bird guy! Fire bird Phoenix? Hahaha! That's the same as Yakitori!" He seemed oh so smug when he said that, like it was the burn to end even me, a Phoenix, but really it was boring. I'm sure the old Riser was just angry that Issei talked back to him, not because of the pain such an insult caused him. Really, this is playground level insults he's trying to throw at me.

Just as he began speaking, my hands found the breasts of Mai and Ren, my fingers sinking into the soft mounds as I teased quickly hardening nipples. At the abruptness of my action, they released pleasure-filled cries, soft and intimate rather than the loud calls so popular in pornography. "Can you say that one more time, virgin? I couldn't hear you over my women moaning, but of course you know how that is, having watched so many scenes like this through a screen."

"Hey Yakitori-guy! I will just beat the crap out of you with my Boosted Gear!" A god-killing weapon in his hand, he seemed very confident and for very good reason. In less than two weeks, he would have defeated me if I didn't take precautions. "We don't need to have a game! I will just take you all down, right here, right now!"

[Boost]

It was cool that I could hear the sound of the Dragon even as he powered up, the gauntlet gaining power as the emerald gained a powerful glow. Still, as powerful as the gauntlet itself was, Issei was next to useless compared to me, even if he manages to grow as much as he would. Pure-bloods with talent can only grow stronger if they trained, and I think I've trained enough to last... maybe two minutes against the Strongest youth.

Hey, it's not much, but at the very least I can cream Issei like he was nothing.

Anyway, back to taunting me fiance and her entourage. "Now normally I would be insulted, but if your offering, I would love to end this as quickly as possible." I turn to Grayfia, who seemed to have been all stoic throughout the ordeal. "Would it be acceptable that I simply destroy this lowly Pawn to win my wife? It wouldn't take more than a couple seconds, rather than going though all the preparations required for a rating game."

"I'm afraid that such a thing isn't possible, Riser-sama." If she was any less of a woman, she would have probably added 'duh'. "I'm sure the young mistress knows her position, and would not do something so stupid, as her Pawn suggested."

"True, I mean what kind of a gentleman would I be if I didn't at least offer handicap." I nod to myself, ignoring the outrage on Issei's face at being ignored. I turn to my fiance with the biggest shit eating grin I could muster. "Would ten days be enough for you? I mean, your Pawn seems to be raring to go now, but I doubt you would do something so stupid. In the spirit of the moment, I'm sure if it's you, you would be able to strengthen an old crow, a broken weapon, a beast, a traitor, and a lizard with a dick smaller than his already tiny brain." I found myself chuckling as their killing intent skyrocketed, each and every one of them hit where it hurts most.

There was no wonder how I knew, just the resolve to kill me now that I gave them a chance. She no longer cared about pride, I had trampled on that as much as I could. She didn't care that I was baiting her, she knew that the moment I stepped in the room. She didn't even care that, clearly there was something wrong with how I steered the conversation, she was just so blinded that she could barely see me as anything other than an enemy.

Just as planned.

"I promise, we will utterly RUIN you Riser." Rias growled in defiance, fueled by the rage her Peerage felt towards me.

"Excellent, I can't wait to see you try, darling." And with that, I made my escape.

The seeds of her destruction have been sowed, now all that was left to do was wait for the harvest to come.

"Thanks for all-" I wasn't even allowed to finish my sentence when we materialized in my living room, when me Queen captured my lips with hers.

In the heat had an entirely new meaning now

Well, it also looked like I had a different problem on my hands...

* * *

Chapter 4 good people. Longest chapter to date, because notebook in the mountains provided much.

I was surprised how accurate my thoughts were in relation to canon, I had no novel to fall back on when I wrote this.

Mountains were fun, really clears your head and all that. I kind of said there would be training part 2 but I was just so bored with that, I jumped right into canon. Tell me what you guys think, I haven't changed much yet, but as soon as this arc is over, things would be very, very different. Well not really, I need some canon for SI-Riser to take advantage of, but other then that, things will changed.

Suggestions be through pm and reviews please. I will reply to questions when I can, and flames will be laughed at

See you all next time, maybe


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: ...Forgive Me if I Try to Change...

* * *

Hmm, ten days, huh?

It doesn't seem like much to most, but to a person who can think as quickly as I can, 864000 seconds is quite an amount of time to work with. I mean, the things I could do with ten days of prep, people would rather not think about that, especially my peerage members.

Not to brag, but I can confidently say that I tripled the power in each member of my peerage, yes including my dear sister, in the span of half a week when I was being 'gentle' in terms of my training. When I was being serious, not one of them could stand up for two seconds without their legs giving out from under them, but the result was a power spike far outweighing the price they had paid. I was very frightening when it came to efficiency, practiced in the art of turning every milliliter of blood, sweat, and tears given to me into power that after every training session, they could _feel_ the difference.

Of course, that only happens after they regain the sensation of _feeling._

I was confident in them now. So much so that if they went all out in the Rating Game to come, they would be able to secure victory for us so handily that I wouldn't even have to participate in the battle.

If I was being perfectly honest, I'm pretty sure the honor-bound Karlamine would be able to beat Kiba in one on one, same with Isabela against Shirone, and Mihae when compared to Akeno of all people. I'm not inclined to see if Ravel could beat Rias alone, I wasn't about to put her in the line of fire like that, but she could pick any two pieces I had and victory would be assured.

I was so confident in our chances that I let them spend the ten days as they wished.

At this point, I felt that we were so far ahead that they could just laze around all day, maybe get as fat as possible, and they would still probably win without my participation. It's not like they would actually do that though, women as vain as them loved to retain their figure and as devils they sure seemed to enjoy their hard earned power, but it was a proper illustration of just how much better we were now that we trained ahead of time.

Screw tempting fate, I'm just going to come out and say it: Worst case scenario was still us winning.

So they can do what they want and I won't stop them. I guess they deserve that much at least, and if they want to spend the next few days training according to the manual I may or may not have left them, well that's their decision. If they want to take the time to relax and all that, then that's no skin off my back either.

As for me, the grind don't stop till I fall on my face or I can comfortably cut down the greatest being in existence. I'm still quite far from either, so I'll be spending my ten day respite working my ass off until I manage one of the two. Here's me hoping I get the second one, I don't think any of my family members would appreciate me biting the dust any time soon, but either way I'm still training. Rest is nice, I won't deny that but being an insomniac also had the strange side effect of making me... jittery. I can't stay still unless the situation really forces me and time is very precious after all; Far be it from me to be wasting time lazing around where there's so many things to do now that we have an actual deadline.

Anyway, I haven't been doing much testing lately, so I thought this night would be the best time to resume. That was probably why none of the girls have continued their assault, I was out of the house and no one but Ravel knew exactly where I was and really I needed to get away from them if I planned to test some of the more dangerous moves I had up my sleeves.

Currently I was at the beach of the island, a large and picturesque expanse of silver sand as the waves cascaded in the moonlight. My eyes were on the moon and the stars, each and every one of the heavenly lights much more visible now that the smoke of the city had no influence here, as I wondered how much time I would spend here. There was a forest at my back, a few dozen meters inland that surrounded the mansion proper, but in the night it was just a blanket of black, a hiding place for any who would shy away from the light.

It was a generally open place, where save for the forest, everything was within the line of sight. There were no large boulders in the area, no crags to hide behind, and no where to run on the open beach; just smooth sandy coast that surrounded the island and the deep blue ocean that lay beyond.

It was the perfect place to die.

"Took you all long enough." I mutter to my oh so punctual test subject as he, or maybe it was a she, came up and brushed my throat against a knife's edge. "I was starting to think none of you would actually show up."

I was baiting them after all, so it stood to reason that they would show up when I 'let my guard down' and took a stroll outside my extremely large summer home.

I guess there's a story to all this, well then let me explain for a bit.

I spent most of my time training my peerage, but honestly they were the limiting factor and when push came to shove, I have way too much time on my hands when they were recovering from whatever torture I put them through that day. That had been going on for months and even if they steadily got better, they still had a hell of a lot of downtime when it came right down to it, even with their improved regeneration. And in that time, I did quite a bit with myself.

Most notable though, would be that I scouted the entirety of Kuoh's landscape. Yeah, that meant I knew where eveyrone stood there, Rias, Sona, their children, and of course the growing forces of Kokabiel.

I also had some plans for all of them, so there was no real rush to go and taunt Rias and her gang now that they were preparing for their own training trip. There was even less reason to head over to Kuoh just to talk to Sona, cause really I have no idea what to do with the girl when she was more than likely to call me out on my ruse than anything.

So I went for the only party that still had some influence in the area; I said 'Hi' to our crow neighbors.

I'm not going to lie, I felt some drain on my power when I stepped into the hallowed halls, but it wasn't exactly as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. Again, since there was no particular reason to stay and I didn't want to get caught yet, I simply went with my business and left when I was finished.

Oh, and I think it's important to mention that the business I'm referring to was an open challenge to the Fallen once stationed there.

Specifically, I blatantly told Kokabiel that I knew what he was up to via burning the dark floor of their secret ritual area. And I told him my earth address just in case he wanted to talk about it. To those who were there at the time... well the less that could be said about them, the better.

Apparently, they didn't take it too well when I took a scouting party and left most of them dying.

Yup, I basically pissed on their territory and left enough of a trail that if they wanted to, they could follow me back and respond more appropriately. Yeah, it's a new brand of stupid, but trust me when I say that there was some method to my madness.

There was only one super important fact that persuaded me to do such a thing: I was sure that the Watcher of the Stars himself wasn't going to show up.

He hasn't gone stealing the Fake Blades yet, and so he can't exactly start the bloody three-way when one side doesn't have enough incentive to participate. I was sure that if he did take the bait, he would have to do so indirectly; maybe send a few scouts first just to see if I was bluffing or not. He should be warrior enough to sense that it may be a trap and react accordingly, but revealing himself too early is a no go at this point.

That was one problem out of the way.

If he would send anybody, it would probably either be mooks he just wanted to get rid off or elites that could be trusted to get the job done. Either way, I was provided bodies to test my new moves on, and if it did turn out to be his honor guard, then I would be in for a fun time. I'm not going to lie, but there was a chance that he would actually send people strong enough to kill 'Riser Phenex' but what he didn't know was that I've grown much during the past couple months. I had good chances, and if I really do die in the fighting then I wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore.

Not the best excuse for stupid, but I'll take what I can get right about now.

On the subject of killing me, it isn't exactly a very good prospect either. I mean, compared to Rias, I was supposed to be powerful; a High-Class Devil and they knew that putting one down wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world, not to mention putting one down _quietly_. I was sure that to kill me without letting whatever info they thought I had slip, he knew he had to really commit to this, which meant sending a force equal to himself in power just to make sure I went down and stayed down. He would need to muster a force that could deliver one decisive blow from the get go to counter my own regeneration, anything else would just cause too much noise to be worth it.

I also knew enough about him, that in his pride he acted alone, which meant that he would have to send his armies at me or come at me himself. We already discussed that he wouldn't be doing the later and the former was also quite too noisy.

That simply meant killing me was off the table; good for me.

Now, only negotiation could be successful and that meant that I get to trade information with this party. They would also, more than likely, try to convert me to their side; I mean, they would have to acknowledge that they can't just kill me and get away with it yet, so they should resort to tempting me with stuff for now before inevitably stabbing me in the back. I'm prepared to deal with treachery, they are fallen angels, and by then maybe I'll be strong enough to deal with Koka himself.

Or maybe they just give up the plan on starting the war... Nah, kid's be too crazy to give up this war plan.

One more thing, I made sure the address I used was far enough away that no one would suspect a thing: a private island somewhere in the Atlantic. That way, if any evidence of our fight, assuming there was going to be one, broke out, I would be quick enough to get out of there or no one would come looking at all. More than likely though, it would have to be the later; I don't know if I have the long term speed to actually outrun these guys save for just teleporting out.

The forces he sent weren't exactly meager, though since there were more than a dozen of them I don't think they were too high up the totem pole either. I couldn't exactly count wings here, with them probably being hidden in the name of stealth, but I knew that these beings knew exactly what they were getting into. Each and every one of them were like Grayfia in that regard, their own power sealed inside of them to such a degree that even I couldn't detect their presence. There was no magic in the figures, no ounce of power pushing against mine, no sliver of Holy Light screaming against my insidious presence, and if I was looking at it right they were so stealthy that they managed to pass through our family wards.

If I hadn't been personally tapping into the air to extend my vision, I'm sure they would have probably evaded me too.

"How do you all do that, by the way? I mean, I didn't see any of you coming until you were right up behind me. That's got to be useful right?" I resumed speaking, in an attempt to confuse them a bit. It's not every day you get held at knife point after all, and its definitely not common to actually have a fearless hostage when you're the one pointing the knife. I was probably getting on their nerves as I spoke, my voice without a hint of fear, just morbid curiosity. "Do you guys specifically train for this, infiltrator style, or is it something everyone can do with enough control? Come on guys, don't leave me hanging here!"

The instant of silence assured me that, no, these were not mooks and yes, they wouldn't actually be willing to talk to me, much less teach me their version of a high level spy technique, which was a shame since the closest infiltrator I could reach would probably shove something up my ass before teaching me anything. I say an instant of silence because that was all I had before another four came astride to the one holding me from behind and simultaneously made a move for four different parts of my body. Looking at it a bit more, I could deduce that they were aiming for my throat, my temple, my lungs, and of course, my heart; like the thorough little wannabe assassins they were.

My 'wind sense' wasn't exactly picture perfect yet, and by that I mean I can't see every every mote of dust in the wind, I couldn't see every breath that warmed the air as the fallen took them, but I could see enough to know that they had blades aimed for kill spots. They moved with practiced ease, the tranquil poise of masters practicing their arts, and speed that would catch most off guard.

I wasn't most.

I may not have known exactly what was in their daggers, more than likely poison enough to take even a Phoenix down -I didn't mean to do that, honest- and lethal in more than one way, but it didn't matter since I wasn't planning to get hit by them any time soon. It was very impressive that they hardly reacted to their blades meeting empty air, no, wait, to be accurate their blades passed through a blazing flame in my image.

I admit that it was the strangest sensation I've ever felt, but one that was familiar from days long past. It was like my entire body was numb again, as if I was being sedated so that I could finally fall asleep after months of annoying the nurses, but this time I knew that sleep wouldn't come from me. The sense of touch and smell was taken from me when I became the embodiment of the inferno, but I had lost what I intended to shed: my physical form.

The body I had was fire, something that would consume but could never be touched, and it was in this furnace that the metal was purified until whatever poison that once hung on its edge was ruined by the heat. My mastery of the wind was what allowed me to move, a gust formed by my will blowing at the flames as they phased through the five that had me surrounded, the inferno being whisked away on the wings of a zephyr before it settled a small distance away. I couldn't exactly smirk in the form that I took now, really I say my image but all I look like is a burning faceless mannequin, but I had learned much in the art of replicating phenomenon with my mind and my magic.

With the legendary processing power of Memory Partition and Thought Acceleration combined, I was able to manipulate the air via applying pressure, displacing it to create slight mechanical tremors in the air at specific frequencies in succession or simultaneously to suit my needs. Not only frequencies, but the amplitudes of the vibrations could be modified as well, in such precise increments as to adjust the intensity of the created air wave, and in doing so precisely match those created more often than not unconsciously. I can then direct these waves towards the group, configuring them in the transverse fashion for ease of use, amplifying the waves until the desired effect of communication is achieved.

In dumb-speak, I could make my magic talk for me.

"Poisoned daggers? Well I can't exactly give you guys points for originality, or intelligence." I can't really see or hear either, so I have to rely on my magic to sense their position relative to the plume of fire that was supposed to be me. It was a good sensing exercise, and maybe in time I might be able to direct some of my mind to observing what was in the actual air, rather than just the air itself. Once I could focus on both perfectly, then I would be able to use these techniques in true battle. "Though I don't blame you. You don't exactly bring much in an ambush. Are you so conceited that you're trying to capture me?"

Ahh, that was a possibility I never really entertained: what if they tried to capture me? The answer was really simple in the end, they would fail. Reason states that as long as a Phenex is involved, the engagement would be extremely drawn out, or it would end in the first move. That is to say, if these infiltrators were hoping for a quick and easy capture, then they were in for a very rude awakening. Well, that just reduced their difficulty level by a wide margin, though if these were stealth specialists then the fight was already decided the moment I detected them.

At the very least, I get to trade battle banter with them. "Oi, I get that you guys don't like to talk, I respect that, but shouldn't you be trying more than staring? I mean, you guys are elite right? That can't be your only plan of attack." And that was exactly what they were doing now that I managed to escape their loose encirclement attempt. There were exactly thirty four figures in that general direction, more than half of them actually going the extra mile and hiding underground while only twelve stood out in the open. None of them moved, like at all. It wasn't like that was their only...

Wait.

These guys are experts in the field, and I don't mean to presume that they were they very best, but they knew what they were getting into. In terms of quality, maybe the only ones better than these ones were going about stealing the other fake blades from the church, which means that I was a big deal to them and these were assassins who weren't wet behind the ears recruits. I don't really think the army of Kokabiel includes any young combatants but that wasn't the point.

The point was that these people were good, and they still failed to kill or capture me. Since they were somewhat limited in terms of manpower, I was sure as hell that they weren't going to pursue, especially when I made it very clear that they weren't about to capture me without me capturing them first. That only left the flee or suicide options open, and the latter would immediately be closed since again, they were kind of short on manpower.

That meant that they were running, or at least looking for a way out to run.

Son of a bitch, my target practice is trying to pussy out!

"Oh, HELL NO!" Immediately I reassured my physical form, just so I could glare at these asshats with my own two eyes. I was about to declare my intent when I felt the wind 'shift' once more, my prey actually coming forward in another fruitless assault.

Huh, turning into some sort of element must be difficult for these people, if they think that such a technique was bound by time limit. They weren't scanning the beach for a way out then, they were trying to wait out the firestorm that was me so that they could resume their kidnapping when they could actually touch me. I should have really seen it coming when Lucifer's super mode was when he becomes power of destruction, but I never really thought it was that big of a deal.

Fire mode being my trump card?

Oh no, not even close.

Lets step up our game, shall we?

As time stopped once more, I observed the battlefield to keep track of my enemies. The magical sense was very helpful in that regard, giving me vision of an entire area as long a certain amount of demonic power occupied that very same area. Lets not forget that my aura was significantly bigger than most, with the mana mixture method, and that the vision granted was full 360 3D. It's like one of those 3D rendering software, I could basically see everything in the area from any angle I choose, and that mean EVERYTHING.

Now, enough setting the stage and back to the battle.

Of the thirty four, only six came to continue the assault with four surrounding me from the side, one airborne, and one directly under me. The four were positioned in full tilt, I couldn't exactly say they were running since they seemed like they were standing still, but it was clear that their plan was to go for a set of four vital areas. The one coming from above had a narrower set of targets, my neck, shoulders, or head, while the one below would either go for my gonads or simply hold me by the ankles to make sure I didn't escape the assault of the first five.

Good plan, if I do say so myself, and one that would have worked if not for a few factors, first of which being the fact that I could easily turn into fire again.

Second, well I could always do something like this. "Forbidden Technique: Still Rotation!"

Time resumed when the air, once still, came alive. What was once tranquility immediately turned on its head as gale force winds manifested, twisting and warping around me so quickly that the moving mass of gas was visible to the naked eye. A protective sphere was formed, the bottom cutting through a thin layer of sand while at all sides the whirlwind raged, the very air being both sword and shield as the maelstrom rampaged with all its might, imprisoned into a thin barrier-like layer around me.

Momentarily, I wondered if this was what Aang felt like whenever he went all avatar-state and stuff but then again I doubt that he ever used it with the intent to kill, him being a pacifist hundred year old pansy after all.

The effect was as intended, the sand beneath my feet being pulverized into such fine dust at rates so quick that it didn't even disturb the beach, I observed as daggers too committed to the blow were filled down by the wind. Like timber before the workman's file, like wool before a shear, the blade evaporated as it tried to penetrate the barrier, erosion taking its toll on the metal no matter how enchanted the poisoned blades were.

It's a cool effect, really but to truly appreciate just how awesome it was, one must look at the effect of the actual barrier.

It would eat into anything that comes in contact with it so quickly that the surroundings didn't have time to react to the mass of air ripping into the object. It was spinning so fast that the sand didn't cloud even as the air pulverized it and the spell-work was so precise that whatever sound it should have created only served as added energy to each rotation.

That sort of isolation only occurred in a vacuum, so effectively I had to run three spells, one to make the actual sphere of doom, and two others to form thin vacuums inside and outside, the first to make sure no sound reaches them, and the second so that sound doesn't reach me. Also to add even more efficiency, I fell back on the rasengan, which meant that there were different directions of rotation happening simultaneously, arranged in such a manner that the winds would not interfere with each other despite sometimes mixing in totally opposite directions.

To do that, I had to control each and every spin, each little breeze flowing every which way to make sure that the whirling death I surrounded myself with was operating optimally.

I would like to thank the Atlas Alchemists for this considerable windfall... okay that was intended.

Credit to the assassins though, for as quickly as their weapons evaporated they still managed to stop themselves, and even disengage before even a scrap of their black suits touched the revolving sphere. Hell, the one who attacked from above somehow 'jumped' away before I could take out his arm, freaking double jumping into a crouch beside the other four.

Not much of a fight, since no one was really harmed in that span of forty five seconds, but right now it wasn't exactly a fight.

It was a test, and more of sending a message.

"You guys are boring, not even worth my time." I drawled out, genuinely disappointed. "Really, it's insulting, not to mention extremely disrespectful."

They bring more than two dozen but they don't act? What kind of a farce was this? It was either they realized that it was pointless to attack, or they were attacking, probably with projectiles, and it didn't really do anything either. It doesn't really matter anymore, it was clear that since some of them were weaponless now, and I showed no shame or fear, they would not pursue, and really chose to flee this time.

Fine, but one last good bye gift.

"Speak to your leader these exact words: I'm not one to tell, don't worry. I don't have a reason to tattle, and this little arrangement benefits me somewhat. None of you have reason to trust me, and I'm not planning to change that. You can send all your forces to keep me quiet, and if it helps, maybe even actually find something to threaten me with. Be warned though." I lifted my hand and opened my palm towards the ocean behind me. "I am letting you go, trusting that you make no move against me and I will respond in kind. Betray that trust and, well..."

I could feel their apprehension, maybe even fear, as the sun peeked over the horizon, suddenly bathing the beach in purple and vermilion.

"...you won't have to worry about your little plan anymore."

The time was ten fifteen in the evening.

"Oh, before I forget; if his little bastard comes to my City, he's dead."

* * *

Tap.

"You know, as improbable as it may sound, I never thought that the rumors would be true." I spoke softly, respectfully, but one could detect the bemusement in my voice if any dared to try. "Just goes to show that one must always expect the unexpected."

Tap.

"Oh, and what pray tell, was that particular rumor?" The bespectacled girl before me spoke in an equally soft, civil, tone as delicate fingers brushed against her chin in thought. "Last I checked, rumors about Kuoh Academy were very limited. I can't claim to have an idea as to what you're talking about."

Tap.

"An Empress on her throne indeed, when even the words of your subjects reach your ears. But alas, everyone will always be able to keep a secret or two, even from you, your majesty." I beamed at her, neither patronizing or provocative as I spoke words devoid of any tells; she would probably get the impression I was just plain happy all the time. "I heard from a friend of mine that if I would like to talk to the one in charge, I don't talk to the principle, or any of the major shareholders of this prestigious academy..."

Tap.

"... they told me to talk to the Student Council President; You, Miss Souna Shitori."

The sunlight gently filtered through the windows, illuminating the room beautifully in the dying light of twilight as I sat before the true queen of the school. The office I was sitting in the middle in I'd wager looked better than even the principal's own workplace, though that was probably due to the fact that this woman practically owned the school and she could do whatever the hell she wanted, within reason of course. Still, the Student Council Room was extremely luxurious, almost comparing to my own living room with marble pillars, velvet couches, and that was definitely a fully stocked refrigerator humming in my super sensitive ears.

Me likey the fact that I would be coordinating our Rating game from such a swank crib.

The girl herself was shorter than me, maybe shorter than Rias though I need my fiance for the true comparison, and like most people here she had an immaculate heart-shaped face, features that spoke of aristocratic elegance far too beautiful to be human and a pair of intelligent eyes so strikingly amethyst that I would call her a Minor Sue if it wouldn't be calling the kettle black. Her hair was cut short, a somewhat jagged job compared to other girls with bob cuts so perfect it's insane, Rem and Ram from Re:Zero, but that was really the only imperfection I could call.

She was less impressive in terms of her figure, really strange since she was smaller than both Asia and my own little sister, though the uniform and glasses gave her that librarian appeal that Saji fell for, maybe. She did have a regal air about her, much more an aura that drew respect rather than the glamour my fiance loved to wear, and her gaze was as cold and resolute as they came. I wonder if Serafall had that look about her during the war, and one day maybe Sona saw her elder sister's game face and decided to wear it as her own.

It could have happened.

Anyway, back on track, I was here back in Kuoh though significantly deeper in enemy territory than the first few times I visited. There were multiple reasons for this, first and most pressing being the fact that I couldn't let my fiance have monopoly on information when it comes to what our battleground will be. This was a plain and simple scouting run with me going around the school and checking all the places I would need to be familiar with, especially the forest since my pawns were trapped there in canon. I really don't intend to make the same mistake, unless I could safely conclude that springing her trap would end up being the best course of action.

My being in my disguise persona: a wide-eyed young man by the name of Mifune Suzaku, was a test of stealth capabilities as well as knowledge in the face of a supposed master in the mental arena. This was an experiment to see just how well I could hide my demonic presence, as well as how many tells I had now that I'm facing a person well versed in the art of politics and people. If she manages to detect me, that would mean that either I underestimated her skill in one or both fields, and I would have to train accordingly, but if I get away with it then that opens up a whole avenue of possibilities.

Tap.

"They did, did they?" It was strange how she seemed to chew on her next thoughts before she continued, her unchanging eyes never leaving my own. "And who gave you this information?"

Your daddy did, but I'm not going to tell you that.

Tap.

"With all due respect, Miss Shitori, it would be in bad taste if I got my coworkers fired before I even got the job." I shook my head with a chuckle. "I'm sure you reacting this way is the exact reason they're started in the first place. The incredible has always fascinated both the young and old alike, and the more unlikely a rumor is, as long as it contains a shred of truth, it will be believed. A student running the school was almost as interesting as there being a Vampire in the Old School Building, but we both know that the second one is just the imagination of children running a bit too wildly. Really, rumors of a Vampire? I would have thought that young women already moved on from such fantasies."

Tap.

"Yes, quite the imagination you must have then." If she was affected by my comment, she didn't show it though there was a hint of yearning in her eyes, much hungrier that just simple curiosity. "I must ask, why here though? For all your achievements you have to your name, I don't see a person like you simply being satisfied teaching... and you specified that you would be more comfortable in the High School Division?"

Yeah, another reason I was here was the fact that I was indeed looking for a job, specifically as a teacher in Kuoh Academy.

There were perfectly good reasons for this, first and foremost as a preparation for times to come, when Kuoh becomes a hotspot for many a thing magical. I was entitled to shadow my fiance, but then again I was also expected to have my own undertakings, which meant that it would be weirder for everyone if I simply followed Rias around while waiting for shit to hit the fan. If I was a teacher, that would allow me to stay here since, supposedly that was a good enough reason for the devil community, rather than me just freeloading somewhere.

If I was here maybe I could actually do something when stuff happens, obviously acting for my own benefit. I could trade notes with Azazel in terms of Sacred Gears and weird and exotic Magics. I could discuss strategy with the woman before me if ever it strikes my fancy. I could speak to the Vali Faction when the come and everything settles in the Khaos Brigade. I could maybe even 'borrow' some power from Ophis if ever she gives me an opening to do so before Vali's Grandpa. There were quite a bit of things I could do, both disruptive to them and constructive to me, but on the short term, I could continue the correspondence I started with Kokabiel.

Being in the same city should solve any communication issues.

Maybe... if it suits me, I could help them solve their issues?

Nah

They're big girls and boys now, they should know how to deal with their emotional pain.

No, I wasn't afraid or to lazy with lovestruck girls who have misplaced affection for people, more on guys, who help them out no matter how perverted that guy might have been. Alright, I was, and I really didn't need more women trying to gain my affections, or at the very least, using me as an outlet to vent their sexual frustrations through as close to sex as I was willing to give them. I had enough of that from my peerage, I'd rather not have a nun, no I will never EVER seduce Asia, a broken knight, though I think Xenovia will always be Issei's, a loveless Valkyrie, a beast in the heat and in the sheets, and finally a sadomasochistic fallen angel.

A whole lot of Nope there.

I could maybe bond with Rias, if only so that she and her brother don't plot to kill me after the engagement is set. Maybe I might grow to love her after being stuck with her for a while, but I don't really count on it. I just have to make sure I'm on friendly terms with her, the others are just optional at this, and maybe at any point in time.

I'm going to be friends with Asia too though, innocence is just too adorable.

The rest of them, I don't really care about.

I need to be civil, sure, but I don't need to be their friend if I'm their superior.

That would make it so much easier when the time comes that I would have to sacrifice them.

Oh and Tap.

"Well, for all my success in the field of research, several of my own colleagues seem to find me... difficult to relate to." I admit sheepishly, smiling gently as I rubbed the back of my neck. "They called me childish many a time, so I thought that if I seem to act like a child, maybe I would be able to relate to those younger than me more. I've never taught you see, so when I found an opportunity to, I jumped right on top of it. I suspended my research for a while and began to travel around, doing anything that would catch my fancy. When I found that there were openings here, in the first country that I visited, I decided to send in an application."

Being part of a research institute wasn't that hard, and in fact I already had a few papers published, along with findings and everything. From different fields, engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, my papers cover a plethora of topics and from simple theoretical to readily applicable, my research has gathered quite a following. Not enough to make me the next Hawking, but enough that my name was known as a minor contributor to the scientific community.

Now the education part was easy; a bit of forgery and money to grease palms and you can have an all new identity laid out for you. A bit of careful magic and you could make the impossible possible in the world of documents, like inserting certificates, making up names and places, and coming up with a background people would find trouble proving false. Memory manipulation would make people swear that they knew your wife... even if you were female and that wasn't legal everywhere.

Of course, I didn't do something that extreme, gay marriage wasn't legal in Germany yet after all. Still it paid to have studied award winning papers from around 2014. Publishing papers about eight years ahead of it's time was nice, especially when you also knew how invent the methods to prove your findings. That was the easy way into the scientific community, to publish already proven findings much earlier. Easy Credentials; get.

I thought that hard part of this little venture would be getting the job, but I forgot the fact that these people just decided to go coed, thus allowing a large number of students to enter, and increasing the workload on the teaching staff. The large influx of students, form boys who wanted to enter to girls from co-ed schools looking for better quality, told me that it would be more likely that they would be lacking man power rather than facilities. These guys built the school from the ground up in less the a night after all, it would stand to reason that if they needed more rooms, they would just magic them up.

As far as I knew, they couldn't magic up teachers yet, so they were in dire need.

They were is such dire need that I was already hired as far as I was concerned. Through a secretary, Prince Sitri informed me that was was basically hired already, and that I had to pass this one last test before I can start working.

Now how it usually works is that one person approves first, and then some other person on the ground checks it out to make sure there's no fluke. Since Prince Sitri approved, it should have been Rias who would come in and assess me to make sure that everything was in working order. Since my fiance was otherwise occupied at the moment, and Sitri didn't have the heart to disturb the best friend of his youngest who happened to be the youngest of his best friend, Sona had to do the assessing. That was actually what we were doing now, her making sure I was not crazy and fit for duty while I was supposedly trying my best to make a good impression.

Of course, I didn't really care about that. I was bored, I just wanted to have some fun for a bit.

"May I ask you something, Shitori-san?" Her amethyst eyes snapped back at me as I spoke, disrupting the conversation we were having previously. It was a turn based thing, and this was the first time any of us 'spoke twice'. Still, with all the nobility that befitted her station, she straightened up, adjusted her glasses and gave me a quick nod to signal that we were leaving the previous topic and starting anew.

"Do you, by any chance, have a sibling?" I smiled innocently as her eyes flashed, emotions from surprise, curiosity, worry, to downright suspicion, flowing as they stared into my own. She tried to play it off, but she was calculating for a whole minute, staring at me, judging if this was the red flag that would bring me down or just an innocent question from one trying to make pleasant conversation. I just had to same something about her change in expression. "Oh, forgive me if I'm being a bit too forward, you don't have to answer if I'm causing you any distress."

Still, that obviously got her attention.

"No, that question just took me by surprise." Oh yeah it did. I mean, there was no major eye widening, outrage standing, lightning striking special effect that made it so, but this was Sona we're talking about. The fact that her eyes flashed, eyes not glasses, means that she felt something. Her voice was slightly shaky and her tone genuinely curious when she saw my own reaction to her slight change. "Before I answer, why do you ask?"

"A pair of my own siblings share the same look sometimes." I shamelessly replied, making an effort to warm her up to me this time. You can only really mess with friends, and connecting with the little sister of Leviathan can never be a bad thing. "I'm one of the middle children, you see; a third in four, and more often than not I see my eldest and youngest look at me the way you do when I'm about to do something foolish. Its the kind of no-nonsense look teachers wear, underlined by a hint of exasperation and resentment at times. You just really resembled our youngest in your seriousness that I had to ask. Pardon me if I am stepping out of bounds."

"No, no, It's a harmless enough question, though I highly doubt someone of your standing would do anything foolish." Huh, so she really does relate to smarter people more, good to know. If this is a flag or not, I really like to know before things get too steamy. Please, God of Harems, don't pull this crazy shit on me, especially when involving girls with enough power to wipe out a country from the face of the earth. "I do have an older sister..."

"From your tone I can only guess that she coddles you a bit too much?" There was a flash of astonishment in her eyes, far too quick for most to notice before she schooled her features and narrowed her eyes. She didn't need to nod this time, she was content to let me have the floor and explain myself. "Don't look so surprised, people like us often make the same faces, though it would seem to me that you're at the stage where you don't appreciate such behavior. As a person who suffered the same experience, allow me to offer you a word of advice."

"Try to look at things from their perspective, since more often than not they are seeing things that often escape us younger siblings." I had a gentle smile on as I remembered a secondhand memory; one of Riser and his practice in fire magic. The boy was powerful even then, going as far as to blow up half of the kitchen when he rushed to show his brothers what he could do with the family magic. Long story short, he got an earful about using magic, and Ruval was on his case ever since. "And remember that whatever they do, no matter how strange it may be, they do with our best interests at heart. But it looks like we have run out of time."

Tap.

I stood from my seat and gave her a low respectful bow, straightening up before continuing. "I had a wonderful time talking with you, Shitori-san. I hope this would be a start of a beneficial partnership."

For the first time, it was her eyes that broke away from mine to trail downwards, this time her eyes truly widening in surprise. With a resigned as well as impressed grin on her face, she toppled her own king before rising to join me. It was nice that she had enough pride to know when my win would come after three moves at longest. "Yes, I think it will be, Mifune-sensei. Welcome to Kuoh Academy. I expect to see you for the weekly staff meeting on Monday."

"You got it, Kaicho."

It's always good to have powerful connections, and more than that I would really like to see her reaction when she figures out I've been playing her like a fiddle.

Who says you can't mix business with pleasure anyway?

* * *

"I can explain?" My hands were up, as I shifted most of my weight to the back foot, ready to run at the earliest sign of hostility. Still the first mistake had been made, I phrased it as a question and we all know that would make it sound _much_ more reassuring.

"I would say I'm sure you can, but with all that happened with you recently, I have no idea whether to be pointedly sarcastic or just plain curious." My second brother, Revive, took a long sip from the glass of wine he held before resting the fine crystal on my desk and crossing his arms. "I invite you to try dear brother, and for your sake I hope that your explanation in enough to satisfy me."

This was the dramatic one in the family, Revive Phenex, and for a celebrity rising in fame and power I would say that he definitely looks the part. I mean, I had an inkling that most devils around here would be extremely good looking, but this second brother of mine looks like he might as well have popped out of a Shoujo Manga! I mean, this guy was pretty than most of the guys from... say, Vampire Knight -don't ask how I know- and it was really unnerving when Riser looks like... well Riser.

The guy was tall, and in the fancy robes he wore he looked almost lanky but that didn't make him look like some caricature, or crudely formed figure. No, he might have been on the thinner side, but he was still well proportioned, and the bigger, blowier than normal, robes made him look like a noble boss with how he pulled them off. He really looked the part of a nobleman magician with all that cloak and since we have wind magic under our belts, he would easily be able to make it billow in all the right places when it comes to work his dramatic magic. He was charismatic, not in the royal sense that commanded respect but in they way he seemed like a true brother even to me, that I could tell him anything and he wouldn't judge. Oh, I know that at least his air was faked; he threatened to sic Sirzechs on to me if ever I did manage to get anyone pregnant before Rias.

He was shorter than me by a few inches, but that didn't really matter as he sat behind my desk cross-legged, his cheek resting against his fist as he reclined on my chair and eyed me patiently. If I was supposed to be bad-boy handsome, this guy was just plain good looking, a true pretty boy that I was surprised that there weren't any sparkles highlighting his excessively elegant features. His hair was longer than mine, that it fell past his shoulders and onto his chest, but he wore it in a twisted side ponytail in an even more feminine fashion by allowing the hair to cascade over his chest. Blue eyes, a shade brighter than my own, shined with regal intelligence as well as a hint of brotherly affection, though this man was more than willing to turn me in if I ever put the family in jeopardy.

"I've been training, dear brother." And it was true that I spent a good number of those days training alone while my girls did whatever they wanted. The talk with Kokabiel's agents was a test of true power and control and just recently the visit to Kuoh and getting a job was more training my disguise and lie skills. The best lies always had a hint of truth in them after all, and I shamelessly abused that fact by saying half-truths with a gentle smile on my face.

I might be turning into the cheshire cat of this place, but I hardly cared.

"Yes, and training explains all of this then?" Casually, he took a book from my desk, a particularly thick tome, and lobbed it at me like it was nothing. Of course I caught the giant book, one handed and without breaking eye contact thank you very much, and I didn't need to read it to find out what it was.

"This is the Necronomicon, brother, or one of its many copies, but I highly doubt that was your question." He wasn't asking me what is was by the way, for anyone in the underworld worth their salt knew exactly what this great tome of forbidden knowledge was. He waited for me to take a few steps forward and gently place the book back on my desk, his own blue eyes watching as my fingers absentmindedly glided over the grotesque latticework of skin that served as the books cover. "You seem irked, and tired, brother. Can't this wait till tomorrow?"

"I guess that wit of yours has grown. Though it would do you well to remember who you are trying to fool." There was a hint of a chuckle in his voice as his own fingers drifted over the book. He mostly kept his hand to himself, and as one served as the rest for his chin, he didn't really have much to search my notes with. He was shifting his plan of attack then, to try and flank me perhaps? "Very well then, what is this abomination doing here, dear brother of mine? I'm sure you know what happens to those who are caught using such a thing, noble or otherwise?"

There was a story behind that book, an entire history hidden from humans that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I first head of it.

You know how gods here could look like people sometimes?

Well, it turned out that, surprise surprise, our good friend and one of my long time idols in the arena of literature, H.P., was in fact a minor deity in his own right. For any still confused, we're not talking about harry potter and his magical inconsistency filled, plothole-ridden, narratives that never made sense to me -no offence to those who love the work, just not my own cup of tea- I'm talking about the granddaddy of modern monsters: the guy who made tentacles popular again but without using porn, the man who told of the world he dreamed off when he fell asleep somewhere in the depths of the Dimensional Gap/Void, The Opener of the Way Beyond-One-in-All, The One who finally made the connection between Cats and Chaos.

Lovecraft wasn't a messed up human for making up a universe filled with monsters who broke humans by visage alone, he was a fucking god who simply couldn't take the obscurity and decided to tell the world of his 'beautiful' creations.

Thank goodness that his creations aren't as strong as they ought to be, those old gods probably just ranking Satan-Class to God-Class at their most powerful and even then they're all sealed away.

I love how inaccurate mythology can be in this wacky universe, where Zeus isn't much of major player in the series and he was supposed to be able to seal away something whose arms 'reached from east to west'. For all of you who don't know what that means, that final boss was supposed to be infinite sized, and our boy Zeus, the KS King, soloed his ass. Hell, infinite sized noob wasn't even in the top ten, supposedly and at the very least Zeus was there, and the Great Red was only about a hundred meters long.

I guess size didn't matter as much as it used to, or the mythology of this place just sucked in terms of accuracy.

On a side note I wonder, how many genders were flipped? Obviously one less than according to Nasu, since Sakura Saber, or Okita Souji, was most definitely a male according to canon DXD.

Anyway, back to Lovecraftian Mythology that was real now, those old gods really did exist and though they are sealed a la Trihexa, it would be troublesome for them to get out and go on doing their mind rape thing. Said mind rape was supposed to be able to affect anything under Satan-Class, so that would really be a problem for everyone involved, especially for us right now that the Great War and Civil War left us so weak. Seeing as the summoning of any Lovecraftian Monstrosity would ensure at least a thousand deaths, maybe a bit less but you get the point, it had a really bad power to devils sacrificed ratio, which meant that we would be on the losing end if we ever tried to use any of that crazy messed up shit to get back ahead of the other two factions.

In effect it was unanimously agreed by Hell, Old and New Maou Factions, that any ceremony involving anything Lovecraftian would be punishable by death, no matter who was conducting the ritual magic. Yeah, I know, we outlawed it not due to the nature of the spells, we seemed to be alright with sacrificing each other, we did it because the power wasn't worth the sacrifice: it was inefficient. I don't know about the Fallen, but Heaven would abhor human sacrifice, and all the Pantheons seem to dread the Madness of Lovecraft as much as we do.

There was the Hindu sect, but I don't think much really got to them, other than their own cycle of Brahman, Vishnu, and Shiva: Creation, Existence, and Destruction.

In the context of this situation, since I had it then my brother concluded that I must have been participating in such rituals. At the very least he didn't take it to the family this time, instead going his own way to confront me about it. My brother was an asshole, true, but at the very least he wasn't a tattletale. Though, he wasn't too far off on the count of suspecting me, the problem was the _what_ not the _if_ when it comes to me doing something less than moral.

"Of course I know what happens, I just wanted to see if the stories were real, that's all." I smiled through that explanation, playing the role of the dumbest in the family for all it was worth. Really, Riser couldn't have been anything else when his eldest brother was a combat genius, one was a tycoon, and the youngest was a strategist among the best of them. "You can take it yourself if you want, I'm done with the disgusting piece of crap anyway. Just wanted to see one in real life before moving on. In fact..."

With the saccharine smile never leaving my face, I snap my fingers as the magic of our family was called into action. In accordance with my will, the hottest of flames were summoned forth; well maybe not summoned forth since the actual 'fire' I created was so blisteringly hot that the actual flames were invisible to the naked eye. This flame, so transcendent that it would burn away its own image that it may hide in plain sight, consumed the filthy book that sat on my desk. The fact that the book and only the book was erased buy such unimaginable heat a testament to my control over the actual heat of the fire and where it went.

"Very well, though I don't think you're out of the woods just yet, little brother." With a quick glance, he noted that not even the ashes of the book remained before straightening up and folding his hands on the table. There was no relief in his eyes just collected expectation, almost as if he knew that the book on the table was a simple distraction. It seems like I'm not the only one who's been paying attention. "What other souvenirs did you bring from your recent... outings?"

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been going out on hunts to train my peerage whenever they are able." Ohh, this guy is good. It's time to see just who is better. "Do you mind making your accusation a tad bit more specific. Or is it when I've been visiting Kuoh recently? I did receive permission and you can ask Prince Sitri about my activities there."

"You are testing my patience, brother." He met my eyes, swirling blue confused and outraged before they shut, and all the anger he may have held for me escaped as he took a breath. So this was the ability of the great actor, that at any point he can create a facade of most use to him and the discard it on a whim. I could feel he was angry, but with the way his elegant features were arranged in a smile, no one would be able to share my sentiment. "But I will humor you today."

The smile he wore was venomous, and with the next few words, he injected that deadly poison straight into the heart of my plans.

"What ever are you going to use all those souls for?" His eyes lit up with genuine joy as I snuggled to keep the surprise form showing on my face. Struggled as in failed obviously, as now my brother beamed at me like he did when he first taught Riser how to pick up women. "Well, are you going to tell me, or would you like to tell mother and father first?"

I know the feeling of when time stops, and when you are unaware of it happening, it isn't a good one. The blood stops first, and all you can feel is that for some reason there is an unnatural stillness in the body, one that definitely shouldn't be there. The comes the cold, a strange nipping chill that's morbidly gentle, a smooth transition from warmth to coolness than doesn't seem insidious at first... not until you want to shiver but find out than you can't. Then comes the lightning, the electricity is like insects crawling through your skin, and then stopping, twitching in one place that you just want to carve yourself up just to get them out.

Except you can't.

Finally you realize than your very heartbeat is missing, that in the dim silent stillness, you are degraded into a thing without life but with senses. You feel everything and nothing, stuck in a snapshot while time itself holds you prisoner.

If you can imagine that, then you have an inkling to how I felt when my brother pulled the rug from under my feet.

Fuck, this is bad. Well, not really I'm going to get killed bad but more of I'm in deep shit bad, or maybe it was I'm going to be killed and then buried in shit bad, or I'm going to be buried alive in shit and then die of it bad. All I knew was that it was pretty bad that my brother knew, if not what I was planning, what I had on hand. What did he know, where did I make a mistake, and what do I do to avoid this from ever happening, I didn't know but I planed to find out.

Oh yes, he was quite accurate when he said that I had managed to acquire human souls, or at least as close to human as possible, a pain to store those things let me tell you, but as of now, aside from the question of if he would tell our parents or not...

"How?" My emotions were is such a mess that thankfully none of them found it possible to manifest in my voice. "What gave me away?"

In all honesty, you did." I glared at him, demanding an explanation as he merely chuckled at my empty threat. "You must understand brother, that I _thrive_ in the business of information, both to send and to receive, whether it be simple entertainment or matters of life and death. Brother is a beast in combat, you are shaping up to be a rising star in whatever you put your mind to, while our princess is a tactician, I am the Emperor of Espionage: a master when it comes to collecting, gathering, and of course using a myriad of bits and pieces of information. Information is power, dear brother, and with it I could destroy and create just as easily as Ruval-oniisama does."

"So it was the change then." I knew there were pros and cons when it came to changing the personality of Riser Phenex, but I never thought that it would carry this much of a consequence. "You would never have expected this if I stayed a charming playboy."

"I may have, considering you did take your peerage with you whenever you went out hunting, but with your no nonsense persona it just made my suspicious all the more justified," He finally stood up, and walked towards me in slow measured steps. "We have always been power-hungry as a race, and believe it or not, you're not the first devil who began turning back to the old ways. The taking of a human soul became a practice frowned upon by the current government when it was so much better to put that soul to use in conjunction with an Evil Piece. I'm sure that even if this reaches the ears of the Satans, they wouldn't be as willing to kick up a fuss considering our standing, the past owners of those souls, as well as your already full peerage. On the other hand, they could easily accuse us of collaborating with the Old Satan Faction, since they are among the last users of a dying branch of magic."

This is the last time I'm underestimating anyone in the Phenex Family, it turns out that only Riser was the outlier, and even then he was considered second to only Bael when it came to overall battle prowess. This man was familiar with the game of politics alright, but then again I guess running a thriving media company did that. He knew how to deal with people, to read them and pry without them knowing, to make them sing and to keep them silent; it was all a part of the job after all. He doesn't do much, but his inaction is not a hint of weakness but the absolute show of strength than only people like me, people similar to him, can comprehend. He never really needed to do much himself, not when he has so many thralls under him.

My father once said that he had the Underworld's Heart in his own palms, and I never though of how true that was until this night. He had the heart simply because he was part of the brain, he influences the masses and tell them how to think, what to do, where to go, when to slumber and wake, and the most frightening thing of all is that they love him for it. He whispers into the ears of the masses with voices not his, he entertains them with a performance not of his own making, he feeds them information with the hands of others, and for all this they will do his will.

People would say that Ruval is the strongest Phenex, but in my eyes Revive will always be the most powerful.

Noted, now time to move.

I'll explain the use of those souls when they become relevant, those trips served as testing grounds for my new powers as well as to collect resources for my newest experiment. I really have no time to conduct the actual tests yet, but I will say it has something to do with Sacred Gears and why only humans seem to be the only ones born with them, but enough about that.

I have to try, and though it might not work, I'm not going down without a fight.

"Since we have established the fact that I do have in my possession, an unknown number of souls, where does this negotiation go from here?" I could only follow his lead for now, since he held all the cards. Since the beginning the only hope I ever had was to prove my innocence. Now that I couldn't even do that, you never lie to a seasoned manipulator that just reeks of stupidity, I had no other avenue of attack since I literally had nothing on him. He was annoying as all hell, but I'll be... well I don't know the term since technically we're all damned but whatever, if he wasn't good.

"Well, as far as I can see it, you have two options

if this little experiment you have on your hands stays between us." He placed his arm over my shoulder before showing me his index finger. "You let me in on it, but then I would have the right to do whatever I want assuming you are committing something close to treason." He raised his middle finger with a stupidly smug grin on his face. "Or you could help me out on a little project I have going on and I'll never bring this up again."

"And what if I'm committing some crime and I choose the second option?" I was getting a bit desperate okay, and if I knew this guy, maybe confiding with him would be better than owing him a favor. Yes he was that much of an asshole.

"Brother we both know that you wouldn't do something so mindbogglingly stupid and, if last time can be used as a reference, you do your crazy experiments on your own." He ruffled my hair with his other hand as I frowned, I was very irked at being outplayed, and his casual attitude was just making it worse for me. "So will you help me out with this, or do I have to tell mom and dad that you've been going around taking the souls of anyone who would give you an excuse."

"But they gave me the excuse!" Please buy my bullshit, just for once. I'll never make the same mistake again I promise, just please buy my bullshit! "If they didn't go out there and try to call the fucking Goat then I would have let them live!"

"Sure you would have." He nodded sagely, as if listening to a child who has been denied their favorite toy for reasons they didn't comprehend. I didn't need to be an expert in face reading to know what he was thinking. My asshole of a brother was finding me whining cute. "Now are you going to help me out or not?"

"I fucking hate you right now."

His smile to those words was downright blinding. Stupid Devil Glamour was going to fuck up my eyes at this rate.

"Glad you finally see it my way." He didn't say anything as he gave me a pat on the back and headed for the door. "I'll tell you exactly what I need when the time is right, until then you can just keep doing your little scientist thing. Good luck with whatever you're trying to do little Rye!"

I almost vaporized the door, and everything behind it, as he closed it without a sound.

This experiment better be a success or else I'll fucking kill every last human for indirectly getting me into this mess. Maybe except for Asia, no the pure girl didn't deserve that. It was fine, the alarm should go off any minute now, and then I'll be able to take out this stress on a bunch of not-so-innocent bystanders.

An Evil Overlord's job is never done.

Better be done with it then, the big day is tomorrow.

* * *

Chapter four people!

Wow, I got to say more people than I expected are getting behind this, kinda increases the pressure a bit. I hope I didn't disappoint anyone this time =)). Exis21 made a good point, but again as you will see in later chapters that I'm cheating a bit, and taking HUGE liberties on what is and isn't possible in the universe. Hell, everything is thought controlled and if a stripping spell made by the pervert can disarm a nuke, I better be able to do anything I want as long as I justify it well enough.

Next chapter will be the fight, just the first stage, or the rating game. If there will be a stage 2, well we'll just see about that.

Same drill, any questions will be entertained via either pm or review, so ask if you're bothered.

Oh and I need a beta, dyslexia does that, so if anyone is interested, send me a message or something. Feel free to point out any shortcomings and stuff.

See you all next time, maybe

Tried to make it a bit better, thanks to Fullmetal11791 for pointing a few muddled things out. Oh, and I'm writing, but still editing stuff so please wait =))


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: ...Hope is strong, but Misery's a little quicker...

* * *

To those who can't tell, tonight is the big night, the moment I get to see how my peerage does against hers.

But first a bit of respect, I raise my had against the wood and tap it twice.

And now we wait.

I barged in once, now that they were actually planning, or Grayfia might be with them, I actually knocked.

"And what are you doing here, Yakitori?" Of all the people who could have answered the door, the worse possible person now stood before me, testing my control with every moment he existed. Should I just kill him now and save everyone the trouble? "The fuck do you want?"

My mind is telling me no, but my body... my body's telling me, yes.

NO.

No, control your murderous impulses. I will get to trash him later in the game and they can't do anything about it. Yes, later I can take all the hate I have on that bastard and I get to suffer no consequences for it, if only I wait a few more minutes I will have my victory. That's what happened in canon after all, he just became my rag-doll after everything they did, all the training they went through proving to be useless.

Yes, for now he will be a simple toy for me to chew up and spit out at my pleasure, in two days he will be the enemy I have been preparing for since the day I woke up in this body.

"May I come in?" I took a calming breath before trying my best to smile at the boy. It was difficult with how much I hated all that he stood for, all that he was, but I guess it was possible.

"No." There was a making of a smirk there, I could feel myself frowning with the display of defiance, but that was fine.

He was making it so much more difficult not to crush him this second and be done with it, but I could wait.

As long as everything goes according to plan, an hour or so wasn't much.

"Alright then, can you pass a message to Rias and the rest of her peerage?" He eyed me curiously, though the suspicion was most definitely there. I had no idea if the boy would do it but I guess it would be enough if he heard what I had to say. "Just tell her that I wish you all the best of luck and none of you should forget to have a bit of fun during the match. It is just a little game after all."

"And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" With eyes narrowed, he spat the words in anger and confusion. Good, that meant that the whole trick was working.

"You're my opponent tonight, kid, not my enemy, so it's only proper I pay you some respect." I smiled before walking the opposite way and leaving the Dragon Emperor to his confusion.

"Wait!" He had come out of their little meeting room, door banging loudly behind him as he walked up to me with a look of outrage lining his features. "You expect me to believe that you're wishing us luck, after all the things you said."

"If I'm not mistaken, you started talking trash, and I just followed your lead." I defended myself easily, it really was a bit too easy to rile this kid up.

"It's your fault for making Buchou do something she when its obvious she doesn't want to!" Well he does have me there, but then again...

"If you want to blame someone, blame her father and her brother for agreeing with the arrangement." Yeah, I never thought I could pull out the good son card, but here it was. "I'm just respecting my parents wishes, she should do the same."

"To Hell with all that stuff-" Really, he actually said that?

"Where do you think Devils live, genius?"

"That's not the point!" He was slightly red, equal parts angry and embarrassed. "I don't care about all those other guys! Her father, her brother? They should marry you then! Tonight I'm fighting for Buchou's wishes, no one, not some playboy who doesn't even know Buchou, should get in the way of that! I don't know why this stupid engagement even happened, but I know that you're definitely the one for Buchou! It doesn't matter who you are, I'll take you down if you continue trampling on Buchou's wishes! I'll never let you take away Buchou's dream!"

"Then by all means child, come and try."

There was a final stare down between us, his eyes shining resolutely while I assume mine held nothing but infuriating smugness. It didn't matter how long it actually lasted, but it was Issei who broke it off, heading towards the door before disappearing back into the room.

I started my walk out of their stronghold myself. I was just here for one last minor taunt before I teleported back to my waiting room and waited for all the fun to begin. I didn't expect to confront the protagonist himself and have him give me a hot-blooded speech before the battle itself.

It's too bad he's no longer the center of this story, and the funny thing is that he doesn't even realize it yet.

* * *

"Is everyone ready?" The starting bell had just sounded, and the death knell heralding their defeat had just faded when I began to speak. "As long as we stick to the game plan, everything should end exactly as we projected."

I was kind of disappointed that I made a mistake, but any of them saw it, none made it known.

I had thought that we would be situated in the student council meeting room, but apparently we were in the principle's office. Now, it was alright I guess, spacious enough to hold my entire peerage comfortably and possessed enough comforts that we could all probably just sit here and weather the storm, but it still wasn't as good as Sona's swank crib. First off there was no refrigerator filled with goodies, which meant that I couldn't snack while I watched the fireworks.

That was fine, I brought enough popcorn to last me until when I have to take the field, assuming I had to take the field at all.

"Be prepared to move at a moment's notice. More than fighting your opponent be prepared to run away at the drop of a hat. This isn't going to be a true Rating Game by any stretch of the imagination, this is going to be a play: a drama meant to entertain the guests watching rather than actual combat. We will deliver." Well, not really. I had the gist of their plan, and sufficient counters, but my little trip to their territory was a pebble in the calm lake to make things a bit more interesting. "Use as much strength as you deem necessary and make sure to treat your opponents with respect, no matter how weak they are. Victory is assured, we must show them that even we can be graceful in the face of such an easy win."

"Remember to always take into account changes in your orders, and to keep the air free from useless chatter. It goes without saying that Riser-sama is supreme commander, but Ravel-sama and I have been allowed to give you orders as we see fit." I was most especially proud of how Yubelluna grew, into an actual queen rather than being just the most powerful piece on the board. If anything, this would probably be the only time she exercised her authority, since she should be roaming most of the match, ready to intercept Akeno the moment she finishes her giant thunder strike. "If there is nothing else, we will soon move out in the preassigned groups. If you will, Ravel-sama?"

"Xuelan, Mira, Ile, Nel, will head to the gymnasium to intercept enemy forces. If we're reading them right, they will most likely assign the rook and the pawn to that location. Marion, Bürent, and Shuriya will not immediately enter the enemy stronghold, but instead stand-by behind the first group, in case reinforcements arrive, or for emergency evacuation." Ravel took the floor with the tactician's authority after my queen. She was the third commander for the day, as well as the one who would be dictating most of the battle up front. "I will be accompanied by Karlamine, Siris, Isabela, and Mihae in guarding the clubhouse, since that is the most likely path of entrance. Brother will here for most of the game while Yubelluna will be roaming between all three groups at will or under orders."

"If there are no more questions, move out!"

"Hai, Riser-sama!"

"And the first one who retires will have personal training from me for an entire week!"

"Ha-hai, Raiser-sama..."

I guess that was more than enough to motivate them, seeing as all of them wore resolute expressions not to retire first as they exited the office. It was cute watching them scurry on out of there with utmost haste at the sound of my threat, no doubt expecting that I would have threatened them with the same thing if they decided to just go with turtling and kept their butts in this admittedly comfy office. But I couldn't have that, now could I? No, not when the battle plan was rigged to crush her pride utterly, and that meant that I participate at the very last second, again, assuming I have to get out of this office at all.

"Is anything the matter, Luna?" Riser called her Yubel at some point, though Luna just slips off the tongue far better. Anyway, the lovely Luna was staring at me with eyes that didn't know exactly what she was looking at. It was like she was looking at me for the very first time, and for the life of her I don't think she even knew what or who she was looking at anymore. "What's on your mind?"

"You're worried, Riser-sama." She said simply, as if those words explained everything that was wrong with me, and to give her credit, I have no idea how she hit the nail on the head so quickly. Her voice was resigned, and her features twisted with distraught confusion that I had to ask myself if this would hamper or outright ruin her performance today. A soldier with no faith in her commander was hardly one I would use. "You say this will be an easy win, and yet you planned for this. But you're not planning just for this fight, so that means there is a battle brewing on the horizon, but you tell no one of it. I don't understand, Riser-sama, why?"

"Why am I worried, or why am I planning?" She nodded quickly, looking at me with all the longing of a nun staring into the face of her god. Maybe they were all so shaken by the change that now was the only time they recovered enough to question it. Definitely not the best time, but I would rather nip the problem in the bud before it flowers into something nasty. "I've always planned, and that was why we always won. Now is the only time I'm actively including you in my plans, and the reason for that is because you all wield powers you never had, or at a magnitude you never could achieve before. I would be remiss in my duties as a King if I didn't make sure you succeeded, especially when I specifically chose this to be your debut."

"As for my worry, well I may not look like it but I always worry." She didn't look convinced, and really I shouldn't have expected that to be enough to convince her but there was a little game going on, and I rather that take up my attention than a queen who doubted me. "Luna, we can talk about this when we're not being observed by my fiance's extremely powerful brother, said brother's wife, and my fiance's best friend accompanied by her entire peerage? Can you trust that I know what I'm doing, even if just this once?"

Eyes that were weighing the worth of my words locked on to mine for a moment, and I could see the thoughts as they fluttered through her mind. There was worry, but only born out of the hypocrisy I committed; I guess she knew me more than I thought if she could pick up on the fact that I may have been very worried for the coming plan. Though more than that I saw faith, that she believed in me enough to trust me despite my own misgivings and apprehensions, and I saw joy, that I was finally letting them in after revealing that the person they knew was long gone from them.

Those beautiful orbs closed and she nodded, a stunning smile on her face and the ring of her voice never seemed to sweet before this. "We trust you, Riser-sama. We followed you into the depths of hell, after all."

Damn, that attack power was high!

I would have began leaning in if it wasn't for my trusty safety mechanism. {I thought you just said to keep the air clear of useless chatter, Yubelluna?} Still, I could swear I could hear the smirk my sister had on her face as she chided my queen. I could definitely hear the rest of my peerage snicker under their breaths, and I really don't blame them since I could actually see what they were more than likely imagining.

Yubelluna took this opportunity to glow a pale shade of rose, luminescent even in the dim lighting of the office, and looked away in a failed attempt to try to seem as innocent as possible. In other words, she was being adorable now that someone called her out, and it was quite a sight considering her usual femme fatale appeal and ever present serious attitude.

So this was what they called gap moe...

Whatever, the effect my sister wanted to have of the table was achieved. My queen and I were no longer in some dim, isolated office where we could do what we want and no one would be the wiser. Instead, we were brought back to the reality that we were two commanders smack dab in the middle of a battlefield and that every action we took was under the scrutiny of some of the most powerful people in the Underworld.

Talk about having a cold shower.

With that moment broken, I turned back to the work before me and began weaving my magic. My eyes narrowed and focused on the large desk before me as a puddle of water materialized on the fine wooden surface, the small pool of clear liquid spreading until it covered the entire thing with the slight sheen of reflected light. I had allowed the water to increase until there was a significant 'thickness' to it before the rectangular prism stilled, and then with another thought the construct was lifted up off the table.

Edgewise, the prism was split so that three 'screens' hovered before myself and Luna and each one was filled with my power as I started to initiate one of the most common spells in an evil sorcerer's repertoire. Yes, I was scrying, the long range version not the future seeing version. I already knew what awaited us anyway, assuming the changes I wrought were minor at best, so I had no need for that other version anyway.

Knowing the gist of their plan, I focused my attention on the gymnasium first, the different screens putting on display various images and perspectives of the area as I reinforced my will and performed the spell. One showed the white sky as well as a part of the arching roof in order to spot Akeno when she decides to crush the building as well as take advantage of her momentary weakness. The second displayed the building from a bird's eye view that I might know when the enemy has infiltrated the tactical position as well as if any reinforcements do arrive.

The last one showed the inside of the gym, with the first offensive front of my force, lead by Xuelan, standing in the middle of the area and facing the amphitheater of the building while the support team took their positions and hid themselves in various areas of the building. I'm sure that even if they stood in the storage area and steered clear of the stage, Shirone wouldn't be able to sense them.

"They're behind the curtains." Mira calmly intoned before gripping her staff with one hand and stepping back that she stood perfectly between the two chainsaw twins.

Speaking of the Devils.

"I know you're there, servants of Gremory." Xuelan declared quite boldly as one of the members of the support team found the control area and switched on the lights. I guess leaving the declaration of war to the wuxia-like character was the best bet, she really knew how to challenge things to a fight while looking high and mighty the entire time. "The little rook and the perverted pawn huh? Are you sure you're enough to take care of us?"

Shirone, and Issei have already taken the stage, but since I didn't have Mira assault him this time, only the nekomata looked worried. "That rook's level is high." Oh if only you knew the full extent of what I did to her, Shi-chan, if only you knew. In response to Issei's quick query she continued. "Based on combat ability alone, she's probably already at queen level."

"That's fine, it's not like we didn't know we would be at a disadvantage." Got to give it to the guy though, Issei has some balls talking in the middle of a battlefield. If I didn't give the girls precise instructions not to make the first move, I'm pretty sure Mira would have already taken him to the wall while the twins begin to use their chainsaws to their full effect. "This ought to even the odds a little bit. Boost!"

[Boost]

The godslaying gauntlet revealed itself in a flash and the emerald cradled in the red scale armor glowed ominously as the roar of the dragon sounded. None of my peerage showed any reaction to the boy instantly doubling his power though I could see Mira and Xuelan slightly clenching their fists in preparation for the battle.

{Steady girls.} I whispered though the communicators and they seemed to relax a bit. {They'll be attacking soon, make sure to take advantage of them being airborne.}

"I will handle the rook. Issei-senpai, please take care of the two pawns." Shirone's body was coursing with magical power, a self reinforcement spell or some variant, as she prepared her gloves and whispered instructions. "They've gotten noticeably stronger since last time, but you have to distract them. Run around in circles and avoid getting hit if you have to."

"Don't worry about me." I was smiling myself but Issei didn't seem fazed in the least that his comrade was making light of his current weakness. It was probably because of his little secret weapon, but I'll let him keep that advantage in confidence for a moment. Quite proudly, he smiled and readied his gauntlet. "If its just them, I would say that we actually have a good chance of winning."

"Are you going to keep us waiting, little virgin?" Issei's eye twitched before Shirone raised her fist and blocked his abrupt charge. As soon as he regained his cool and swallowed the retort he may have had on his tongue, Xuelan's eyes met Shirone's. "Kitten?" This time it was Issei letting an armored hand rest of Shirone's shoulder as she visibly bristled in barely restrained anger.

"You want a fight so badly?" There was bite in his words as Issei bent his knees a bit, Shirone ready beside him as well. "Then let's go!"

With boosted strength, the dragon leapt from the stage with the cat close behind him. I wouldn't have been surprised if they left a dent on the stage with how high they jumped, and how fast they were hurtling at my peerage. I could respect that they decided to use such an attack as a first move, since it was one that gave them confidence as well as some momentum now that they had established control of the fight.

Logically speaking, starting from the high ground and 'falling' into your opponent with a loaded punch should have landed them in a more favorable position since the attack has so much more power that an opponent would be forced to dodge or suffer the consequences. They were going at quite a speed as well, being aided by both magically enhanced strength as well as gravity, so that attack would really hurt if any of them landed that opening punch.

'If' once more being the problematic term in this sentence.

This wasn't canon where the girls would just allow the opponent to execute a plan especially when it had been made known to them, and these weren't the same girls to allow an opponent to get away with being stationary.

Faster than what the old Xuelan would have mustered, the twins took hold of Mira's arms and hurled her into the coming pair, Mira's own jump and wind magic augmenting her speed so much so that she met the pair before they even cleared half the distance though she launched herself later. With her wooden staff enhanced that it would take more than a punch to break it and with wind magic aiding her that the air actually accelerated her own movements instead of slowing her down, she sent a devastating swing at the pair, specifically not at Issei, but at Shirone.

The more experienced nekomata knew of her position, though her eyes still widened in surprise when she realized that the attack was heading at her rather than her partner. She couldn't find her footing, and she knew that unfurling her wing to stop her own charge would be a practice in futility, but I must say I was impressed at how she raised her hands in a stance as the stick closed the distance at literally breakneck speeds.

Contrary to what most would expect, the back of her hands didn't meet the piece of wood that threatened to smack her back into the stage. Instead, the nekomata kept a cool head and sent a punch at the reinforced wood, not so much a devastating attack to match the strength and speed of the swing, but more or a nudge just to imbalance the blow enough to redirect the strike, guiding the force that the axis of the blow tilted, and the shaft didn't slam into her chest but pass harmlessly over her head.

But Mira saw that coming and as soon as Shirone's fist met the wood, she guided the weapon upwards, using the force of her opponent's counter strike to augment her own as she changed the direction of the attack. Now, from a one-handed swing that came from the side, her other hand found the length of the wood as she mustered even more strength for an upward blow intent on sending the nekomata through the roof and far enough not to make be an influence, if not force her to retire outright.

The cat wasn't out of the fight yet though, somehow recovering enough that her feet met the wooden staff when the blow connected. The attack was reduced to nothing but a spring board, flinging her upwards true but leaving her with enough control of her ascent that she was able to flip through the air a few times and pull of a three pronged landing...

On the fucking ceiling.

And if that wasn't cool enough, she kicked off and plummeted downwards at least twice as quickly. When her fist met the ground, the blow cratered the wooden floor as Mira stepped away at the last minute, avoiding instant retirement, as well as a week of training, by nothing more than a literal hair's breadth.

Neither of them was breathing heavily after the short but intense exchange, but for two little girls their eyes were aglow with anticipation and power, each one sizing the other up for the next exchange. Shirone was obviously frustrated though her mask of stoic calm refused to let all but the smallest signs leak through. I guess it was a rook's pride thing, that she was being matched blow for blow by a mere unpromoted pawn so it was no surprise that she was a bit miffed by the situation.

Mira at this moment was on distraction duty and was simply trying her best to keep Shirone occupied for as long as possible, until such a time that...

A loud crash echoed throughout the fairly large gymnasium as Issei found himself getting intimate with several tons of concrete. Xuelan stood confidently before the twins, the two adorable little girls letting out an enthusiastic cheer as the chinese beauty recovered from her stance, calmly shook away the smoke that enveloped her first, and sent a smirk at the otherwise occupied nekomata.

Yeah, while Mira was distracting Shirone for those first few seconds, my little pawn being propelled at a speed that she met Shirone midair even if Issei didn't even land yet, Xuelan was the one who moved to intercept Issei head on. While the two little girls took their precious milliseconds exchanging blows and redirecting strikes, Xuelan simply dashed towards Issei's landing point with impunity.

Once there and before the boy could realize he was heading for the current strongest person in the room, Xuelan took her stance and threw her punch.

I taught my peerage some magic when it came to combat, since every one of the had decent affinity with the elements wind and fire after all the contact we've had, and the first and foremost skill I taught them was the efficiency of power. Actual spell casting application was more difficult for magical combat, but when it came to punching or swinging a weapon, they just needed to work around the air resistance somehow; canceling it, or somehow forcing the wind to quicken them.

Since working with or minimizing resistance was a somewhat chinese philosophy in their martial arts, Xuelan worked very well with this type of combat magic and I would have to admit, it was one hell of a punch.

The fact that her fist was still smoking, meant that despite the lessened air resistance her punch generated enough heat to actually catch fire at one point. I didn't even want to know how much damage it caused since the 'internal striking' was also something she was working on, and yet her supposed 'external force' was still enough to throw Issei against the wall and utterly demolish the concrete he landed on.

One thing was for sure, even on the off chance that he was still conscious, he wouldn't be getting up and stripping them any time soon.

"Now that the pervert is out of the way, you want to join in the fun, my little kitten?" My rook threw out that taunt like a champ, sidestepping just as Shirone through a punch and laughing daintily all the while. "Come now, little one, I'm sure you can do better than that!"

While the opposing rook paid her no mind, she allowed herself to be swept up into a dance of death where the only one of them would be left standing when the beat of fists cutting though the air finally stops...

"Go Lan-Lan, Go!" And if I didn't know any better, I would say that by listening to the twin's cheering and seeing the cocky smirk she wore on her face, my rook was having the time of her life.

I would admit that the kitten was fast, and I mean really quick on her feet and a machinegun with her hands, but Xuelan was faster. I knew that she learned quite a few new moves when I got the two rooks together, Isabela more used to improvising and brawling while Xuelan preferred stances and technique, but she used none of that now as she danced with Shirone. Punches and kicks of the little girl weren't redirected or blocked, but outright dodged as my rook weaved through the mess of blows like the best of them.

It wasn't all skill that created the gap between them, Xuelan was just that much faster now after the training.

Now it was the kitten throwing punches and meeting empty air while my rook sat comfortably back, her hands on her sides as she shifted to evade a blow by the narrowest of margins and danced effortlessly through the opposing rook's relentless assault. It was a sight of beauty, seeing my student overcome and enemy that should have by rights defeated her soundly, but the reality was that Xuelan dodged every kick, shifted away from every punch, and danced into every gap the little nekomata left in her flurry of blows, and to add insult to injury not once did she capitalize on the small openings she found whenever her opponent was caught over committing on an attack.

I don't really know how to explain how my rook didn't even need to lift a finger to stay a single step ahead of the little kitty cat, but then again that probably had something to do with both parties holding back a great deal. Shirone didn't bother learning any of her skills, and I know what Nekomata are supposed to be able to do at their weakest since I had two pawns of the same race. The traditional techniques, martial arts both fictional and true to life in my mind, were all engraved into the body of my rook, and she was fighting another who refused her own heritage, there was no doubting who would be the victor.

I do believe the best comparison would be a boxer against a kung-fu master. Well that wasn't a fair comparison, more of a kick boxer then, but Shirone didn't use much more than her fists in the battle, simply kicking randomly. True, her form allowed her to be able to evade more in a straight up fight, but that's only true if she weren't the aggressor in the current situation. Of course, she wouldn't usually be so aggressive, but I guess something about being called kitten snapped something in her little cat body.

Plain and simple, my rook was toying with the cat, and all things considered she looked like she was having fun with her new skills.

I know, I know, I'm deliberately breaking rule number 4, technically 6, and I think I'll be breaking 8 soon, 39, 40, 53, 61, I'll be forced to break 73 and am currently dragging 75 through the mud... wow I'm breaking a lot of rules...

Better fix that then.

{End her.} Meh, I was trying to make this easy for everyone so there was no reason to prolong this farce. I'm sure a few minutes of dancing circles around Shirone would have satisfied Xuelan by now. {Oh, and if you guys can, drag the boy to the center of the building}

In response to the command, my rook twitched mid step, retracting her foot and holding her ground just as Shirone launched a solid punch towards her midsection. To any competent fighter. it looked like a mistake, and to Shirone, it was probably the first opening she found in the chinese beauty's defense. I could see the punch almost double in speed as she used her feet to leverage a bit more power into her strike, now actually jumping into the one blow that actually might connect on my rook.

She wasn't wrong there, she would actually touch Xuelan this time, though landing a blow was another prospect entirely.

I had informed my rook on where the cat would strike, and so I was treated to the sight of Xuelan executing a simple outer block as her opponent fell for her feint, my rook catching Shirone's wrist with the blade of her left arm before gently using her freehand to direct the blow over her head and to the other side. Without any wasted movement, she rode the momentum and took a step forward with her left foot, executing a simple elbow strike with all her weight behind her.

In an instant, Shirone was thrown across the room, not into a wall like Issei, but the damage was more than enough to knock her down even if she was given a rook's defenses.

The pervert himself, out of the match for the entire exchange of blows was current being dragged by my pawns, the twins slinging an arm each over their shoulders while Mira took to watching... Wait

Shit, that just happened.

I looked at the scene again, and I couldn't help but sigh as the two twins lugged the pervert around without a care, obviously not aware that throwing an arm over their own shoulders and carrying him like a downed comrade was not the way you treated an opponent in battle. Yeah, I know I told them to respect the peerage of my fiance, but I also told them to taunt for all they were worth and make sure that they took engagements only when it was beneficial to them, or they could handily win without question.

They were supposed to 'respect' them like they would true threats; to dispose of them without question or mercy and extreme prejudice, unless they had a plan that would justify not ending the battle from the get go.

I mean, I had a plan, that's why I haven't taken the field yet, but I highly doubt that the twins had a reasonable excuse, and as it was now they were already screwed the moment they picked the boy up.

All that's left is to enjoy the show then.

Before I could say anything, the pervert decided that he was through playing possum. I must say that my respect for him increased a little bit when he didn't push himself off of my pawns. Instead, the only sign I was given that he was actually conscious all along was a low sounding snap, and the clothes of my twin pawns exploding in a burst of magical power he had no rights wielding. I couldn't laugh at my pawns suddenly realizing they were naked and then throwing Issei to the curb, literally; this was a time problem and one I wasn't exactly sure my pawns could solve and one that left me no time to enjoy their carelessness.

Thankfully, I didn't panic, panic only leads to more death.

{Xue-} I barely began when my rook's already revealing cheongsam joined the rest of the tatters, that Dress Break somehow including her when Issei snapped his fingers. Shit, really? {Damn it, Mira, don't engage, just be prepared for counter attack. Support team, stand by for evacuation.}

The boy has gotten craftier, that I must admit though I didn't know if I should consider it a blessing or a curse that he still focused too much on being a pervert. I didn't think he would have charged his Gear beforehand, but all the same he had his spell ready the moment they came in for the attack. My taunting must have made him a bit more cautious this time, and the fact that he could tap Xuelan even as she buried a burning fist into his gut spoke of both his combat sense and endurance. I guess he had a head for basic tactics too, though he already had the opportunity to strike down Xuelan, he waited to strike Ile and Nel for maximum effect.

Its either that or he truly was incapacitated at some point, and he had no opportunity to support Shirone.

Either way, I had three naked members on their knees and covering themselves while Issei stood proudly and Shirone showed signs of stirring.

"How is it!? This is my technique! Dress Break!" He was boasting like a child who had unveiled a new toy in front of his playmates, laughing giddily as he made the mistake of giving me precious seconds to think. "I just kept on imaging the girl's clothes getting blown away into pieces! I spent all of my demonic-power talent into making all of the girls naked!"

"You're really low, Enemy of every woman!"

"Beast! You sex fiend!"

"Just wait till I get my hands on you, Pervert!"

I wanted to see the boy cry at one point, though watching him weep tears of joy as he reminisced, his thoughts drifting back on their training camp no doubt, made me a bit uncomfortable with the situation. He was oblivious to my support group in the shadows, and though they were getting twitchy with what had transpired, thankfully they remained the disciplined bunch that they were and watched as no orders were given. Shirone seemed to sport a look of confusion of her own as she came to, and though she was still getting up on shaky hands, as soon as she managed to connect the dots, her words flowed out lacking the slightest bit of hesitation.

"I'm disappointed in you."

"Eh? Koneko-chan! Are you alright?" Now given normal circumstances, I guess he would be somewhat hurt, but he did see, maybe, Shirone get thrashed when he was playing possum. I guess it was fine that he ignored her barbed comment for a moment as focused on seeing to her well being. "You're not hurt are you?"

"Fine." She quickly sidestepped to avoid his hand as it drew close, a strangely fearful expression on her face even if at first glance it was fear well hidden. "Don't touch me."

"It's alright, I'm not going to use it- Buchou?" It seemed as if our time has finally come; if I'm not mistaken Akeno is supposed to strike soon. "Yes! Both Koneko-chan and I are safe! Actually, this place isn't as bad now that we've won. Do we capture it or..."

{Support Group, you know what to do. Luna, move out.} The support team did not respond, as they were ordered to, and Luna flew out of the room as my power began to leak through in my excitement.

For a few moments, he did nothing but soon the two of them shared a nod before they turned tail and ran.

Start.

I could feel my lips pull into a smirk as I stood from the comfortable recliner, the screens of water evaporating as they outlived their usefulness. I didn't need to focus my attention there anymore, I have absolute confidence in my peerage to deliver, and even then I didn't really need them to win the game.

Yes, I was excited, and the reason for that was quite simple.

This is where strictly following canon ends.

Not caring for the room around me, I threw my palm outwards towards the open window and into the open sky; the only real place I could aim this attack.

My might then burst throughout the room, not in fire or in wind but pure power that those in the room could feel my presence strangling the life out of the very air due to the magnitude I unleashed.

This was a spell I had developed exactly for this occasion, concentrating my efforts into making something that shouldn't exist in this world. No, that needs a bit of correction, I was trying to recreate something that already existed in the world, something that shouldn't be wielded by someone like me and despite all that I held the weapon in my hands. It was more of a spell than a weapon to be more specific but its effects were based on several things, a majority being weapons so I don't really tend to make the distinction. Also the form of the attack looked more like an actual weapon rather than a miracle brought about by demonic power.

Energy gathered before my hand in the form of a pillar, a log made of dim light so thick that it could have consumed the desk I sat behind as so long that it extended from the window to the door, but my will bent the energy to the image I held in my mind. The massive construct began to compress, the light dimming ever more as the size of the construct decreased as if in obedience to the laws of the world, that energy in its most inert and stable form would be true matter.

Then the spell in my hand was not truly a spell, nor was it truly a spear, but something in between.

The first was a weapon that pierced everything, a spear of such power that it point was undeniable, that none on earth, in heaven, and under hell could defend against it's renowned head. I needed the energy and the power to defy reality, that before such an attack there was no such thing as an impenetrable defense, that the might in this strike was and would always be something in the realm of old legends, and true enough that was the weapon that served as the main inspiration for this attack. Rias said that she needed a strike of God to defeat me, and I was sure that she was right in that regard, but what she didn't know was that if she could muster the power to kill a god, then so can I.

Something that already existed in the world, something that had been seen in this universe was the absolute base of this attack.

With whatever power I could muster and the imagination of the mad, I held a spell-spear born of Gungnir in my hand.

Oh shit, no, I didn't mean that to rhyme.

Sorry.

But that was but the first, and unlike the perverted old man I was no god. The strength such energy had, despite everything I had done to increase the potency and vastness of my own power, was not enough to challenge the real Spear that Pierced all things, from the Beginning of Time to the End of the World. The Death Sentence given by The Elder God was a weapon of bloody execution, one I could not match in my current state, and I had to accept that truth.

In doing so though, I found another weapon that showed Truth, and though both were swords in nature, one could be used in the spell I called into existence. And so the spear in my hands divided into three and each third, being energy so dense that it was for all intents and purposes solid, began to rotate. The power that once filled the room, the excess strength that was not seen but felt, promptly dissipated as the rotating fragments of the spear devoured the air and whatever trace of power it once held.

Like a beast starved and on the verge of death it ate at the air so violently that the air began to burn in the bowels of the twister, but the energy it took from the world around it wasn't left unused and instead hastened the monster inside as it gorged itself on the energy of the false dimension. This was the greed of a king personified, that the more power it acquired the quicker it was to devour more of the world around it and devour it did. Tearing the curtains from their places before the windows and ripping tomes from their places on the shelves, the work of magic began to consume not only the air and the energy in the air, but true constructs, digesting them within the burning twister as it spun ever faster before.

It took every ounce of control I had to contain the power it currently held, my skill and immense concentration alone forcing all that power inward instead of unleashing gusts of power as it continued to drag everything with its twisting core. It was another challenge entirely to keep all the power contained in such a small form, but the hardest task for me was to keep the projectile from soaring into the open sky before its target got into position.

That should be saying something though, that it hasn't even been two seconds and I'm sure this is enough to take out Akeno.

And I still have around five more seconds before I have to let it loose.

I would say I surpassed Ea in that fashion, that it was quiet when the Sword of Rupture could destroy a block just by _charging_ the damn thing. Still, I would need a bit more power if I wanted to go against one of the Truth Bringers head on and expect to even survive, much less overpower it.

Now the last, and arguably most important, part of the attack comes from the final part of the spell. It isn't exactly like Cadalbolg, a weapon that moves so quickly that even space comes undone as it travels at speeds unimaginable towards it's doomed target, nor is it like Gae Bolg, a weapon that will strike regardless of causality once it activates or crashes down at such speeds that it's practically unavoidable, but it is similar. Compared to the two, and quite a number of high tier single target attacks, it's quite slow even but then that's where the charm of this certain attack lies.

This is the actual spell component that was based on a preexisting spell, an enchantment so powerful that it was regarded as the original user's most powerful weapon. It was a technique that pierced all resistances, that nothing short of true invulnerability was able to stand unscathed against such a mighty skill. This was what allowed the original creator of this skill to participate in combat; that though when conflict began she would be weak and hardly a threat, the moment she could bring to bear the might of this particular spell was the moment enemies would flee at the mere sight of her... or maybe they would just stand there and die, since even without it, the original user was Untouchable.

Like most things however, here I improved the use of such as spell, that when the Impetus once only augmented the strength of the attack, mine also enhanced the speed. That's right, the vortex of power surrounding and overgrowing was to be like an accelerator without limit, siphoning the strength of the surrounding area to increase the rate of energy drained, the actually speed of the projectile, and of course the strength of the impact. The farther it travels, the faster and stronger the spell becomes and that is the most striking difference between this baby and most attacks. When others fall off and weaken as time goes by, this one only gets more powerful.

Given enough distance and power, I'm sure this attack will come out even faster than Vali's top speed, though for now the starting velocity should still be around the speed of sound.

How fast does it actually accelerate? Well I have gotten stronger the last time I tested, so let's find out how far I've gone.

Oh and the name?

Maybe 'Kancho' should do for now.

I watched as the sky darkened as the thunderheads rolled in, a significant amount of power flooding my senses with what looked to be a spiderweb of bright lightning that was woven before the black and white, as if the old sky had crumbled away and only a latticework of bright energy was all that was left of it. The magic circle characteristic of the Gremory family shined gold in the heavens that were once perfectly white, and arcs of lightning cut through the dark clouds that held them, emerging from their shadowy hiding places as the circle served as a condenser, gathering all the power into a single point before the spells true strength could be brought to bear.

Above the gym, what humans once thought to be the hammer of a god hovered in silence, and in the next moment I saw the figure of a miko as she brought it down.

The actual bolt of lighting was not that impressive, as even real lighting is seen from miles away, but I could not comment on the might of such a bolt. There was a reason lightning was once called the hammer of a god, and though half is true due only to the sound that follows after, the roaring thunder, the other half was made reality before my very eyes. Though the bolt struck the very center of the building, there was no more trace of the gymnasium that once stood proudly in the middle of the battlefield. From above, what was once a proud building was nothing more that an ashen crater in the middle of civilization, total ruin though absolute was also strangely contained.

There was a strange lack of collateral damage, found around the field, and though debris were thrown around here and there, the main target was utterly demolished while the surrounding area was more or less fine. If I counted right, everyone inside had less than ten seconds to get out of the blast range, so the fact that the enemy managed to escape relatively unharmed meant that the control she displayed was impeccable.

It would have done her good if she let loose a bit more, that way her death wouldn't have been in vain.

"Let's see how the Priestess of Lighting likes it when she's the one getting shafted..." Yeah, I've been saving that up, don't judge me.

I didn't need to cock my arm back and throw the weapon like a regular spear, but I had no reason not to act all awesome considering that I was alone and they had no real long range capability. So with an effort, I channeled my inner Lancer and pulled my arm back. With my eyes focusing on her figure, I willed as much power as I could into the magical construct and with a mighty and manly yell, I threw the spear out the already open window.

That was when I made my first mistake.

I haven't done much testing with this spell, or at least when all parts were all together. Making a solid spear out of energy was easy, and it made for a Demonic Spear like the the Spears of Light which were powerful on their own if fed enough energy. When I threw those I found that they could do as much damage as a dragon shot, and that was a mountain leveled when I first learned how to throw these things. Fun bit was that I could make more than one, though safety dictated that I had to strengthen them if I were to use it in a real fight.

It won't do any good if I used an imitation when I was planing to fight people who knew the real deal.

Making an Ea was a bit more difficult, and well let's just say it never really worked, the damn thing always exploding before I could make it launch the 'space-time dislocation' but since I was making a projectile out of it, all was still within projected outcomes. It was pretty powerful though, yeah, even more powerful than the incident which would not be named.

I managed to knock myself out quite a few times, and that was when I was already throwing those 'failed Eas'. Oh and I didn't give it as large starting power up, so combining the two would result to a really big bang if I wasn't careful.

The last one worked the best among the three, but that was only when it was performed alone. Making it work was easy enough, and spells that I launched with it as a modifier really did absorb energy from the surroundings to make the effects of say a fireball more powerful. Since as a spell it's function was for utility, I thought it would mix in perfectly with the first two.

The problem I didn't foresee was that the three produced a spell that worked a bit too well.

I slowed down time for a bit in preparation, not outright stop it since I wanted to watch my masterpiece as it wrecked the bitch, but apparently that wasn't enough.

Despite my efforts to keep my eyes open, the very act of throwing the damn thing released a shockwave enough to demolish the rest of the floor. And no if you're asking, not the literal floor of the room but the whole fucking STORY, the LEVEL, everything that could be considered the same place in elevation, and maybe even the floors above and below us.

I managed to form a shield around me to guard myself against most of the blast, and damn what a blast that was. Hell, I obviously wasn't targeting myself, but it would have definitely threw anyone slower off the building and into the cold ground.

I managed to open my eyes, but when I peered through the shield and into the distance, I was already too late. The attack cleared the entire battlefield in time definitely less than a heartbeat and as I looked, I could see the spell disappearing into the distance long after it pierced...

The air beside Akeno.

Fuck, and I missed too?

Another failure then, and since time was moving too slowly and I couldn't exactly sigh in exasperation, I decided to shift my gaze towards the the magic circle around the distracted pair.

Around this time, Issei and Koneko should be looking upwards in pride and awe, and that just gives Luna the perfect moment to strike with her improved explosions. With their eyes directed to the heavens, and their faces contorted in fear a the thin red line tore through the black and white sky, none of them noticed the rather large magic circle around them as power began to flow.

It was interesting to watch how she could shape her explosions now, when once it was like a floating explosive, it was definitely more flexible now. In the past, when I examined her explosions in a more in depth manner, it seemed to look more like a floating air mine, one with a centralized explosion that could be placed anywhere and detonated as long as enough magic was in place. Now it was a mass of multiple explosives, arranged in such a way that the explosion doesn't just come from one place, and it was now possible to wrap the enemy in her payload.

Hopefully this time she manages to take down both of them. Well, I shouldn't be saying anything about that since I was the one who fucking missed. Can't think about that now, I have to jump off, spread my wings and prepare for the worst.

I guess I should ready another 'Kancho' before it's to late. With no time to actually charge my spell, I looked back to my...

Wait, what?

I had no time to rub my eyes, I already missed too much when I decided to close them and form the shield around me, so they remained opened as I stared at sky.

The totally white sky with rippling color spreading from what looked like a line, even as a blackened figure fell apart as it hurtled towards the earth. The figure was vaguely humanoid, but one bathed in pitch black and trailing wisps of smoke as it fell through the air. I could see what was left of a wing on one side, half of the creature being obliterated, what seemed to be part of a perfect circle leaving a void in what a humanoid figure was supposed to be. Don't get me wrong, I knew exactly what, or should I say who it was, as I watched a messily bifurcated half of Akeno fall from the sky and out of a pillar of color as the other half was more than likely eaten away by forces much too powerful for her to handle near the epicenter.

I did this when I missed?

Of course I did this, the opalesque horizon slowly overcoming the white wasn't just an after effect of my attack, but an entirely separate sky. This was the 'outside' of the fake dimension we were battling in, the outside that should have been kept hidden as the magic of whoever made this entire set up kept us and the rest of the battle in check. I guess it wasn't accurate that my attack couldn't tear apart space then, but that opened a new can of worms; if my attack was enough to tear the fake space of this place, then it stands to reason it was enough to just bypass whatever protective spells they had in place to rescue us from death.

Canon Riser mentioned that deaths can and do occur even in these games, and now I had no idea if I just added a number to that statistic.

Time resumed and for once, the entire battlefield was silent. The Rook and Pawn were much too shocked to do, or even say, anything as the form of the strongest among them dispersed in a cloud of light. The Knight was rooted to his hiding place, and though he thought he was safe in the shadows, the pulse of worry and anger his energy wrought made him known to us, but power didn't do anything to break the lull that descended throughout the broken gymnasium.

Then came the voice.

[Rias Gremory-sama's Queen has retired]

And a collective sigh of relief from all sides I imagine.

No, I didn't really care too much about her death. That in itself doesn't really interfere with my plans, but since Grayfia wasn't panicking then I guess it was all good. It meant that though her death wasn't too much of a wrench in my plans, I was saved a bit of trouble.

I guess I underestimated the devils here too. They were even managing to fix up the massive tear I made in the sky, so probably they had the best of each family's medical support with them. The moments dragged on, and soon no evidence of the Kancho was seen. The sky was white once again, leaving no trace that an enchantment powerful enough to rend space itself, a common enough occurrence here strangely enough, was used. I would imagine that she would be right as rain after all is said and done, maybe thanks to liberal use of Tears, but that's alright.

Great, that just allows me to go all out then.

{Ladies, it's time to wrap up this charade.}

Not long after the order was given, the magic circle of my queen activated.

The following explosion was earth-shattering, and it was no surprise that it easily surpassed Akeno's own spell when it came to pure destructive power. The distribution of power was a bit different though, Luna's own attack leaving a more cylindrical hole than Akeno's spherical explosion. Luna was strong now, and I mean really strong so I had to teach her some way to distribute the power of her explosions, especially now since majority of my peerage could suffer greatly from that attack.

If she went all out with that explosion, I'm sure that even I would be affected, and I was dozens of meters away and a full four stories up.

The pillar of smoke rose up from the circle like an erupting volcano, but as cool as it looked, it was still just an explosion.

Most of my attention was focused on the masterpiece created by my two bishops, rather Mihae and my sister.

Its time for the finale

"DRAGON..." I taught Ravel some voice magic for this, just so everyone could hear her when it actually comes. This is one attack I'm alright with calling since it's just so classic; not to mention apt since considering what our enemy was, it was adding a lot of insult to injury. "SLAVE!"

Yeah, it was that skill, and though the real deal was extremely powerful, I always thought that the one used in-game was so much better. It wasn't a massive beam feared by all that came from the second group, no what I had planned was so much more... symbolic.

The vision of absolute power in this universe was brought forth, birthed in flames and with destruction beneath its wings. It was not burning crimson, but the sheer size of the spell was awe inspiring, and the form it took all together approrpiate as a harbinger of true destruction. Lina Inverse's power was a beam of chaos, the version I chose was something more telling given the name.

A massive blue dragon carved the way from the track oval all the way through the main school building. Crafted from pure energy, its glistening scales met no resistance as it utterly bulldozed over all opposition and consuming everything in its path with the heat of a new born star. This was one of the last phases of the plan, now that only one true enemy was hidden in the buildings, I had my pieces move to destroy every last building to make sure that he had no hope of surviving. The spell was fueled by two bishops, as well as every piece that would lend their energy, and it was a work of magic so powerful that even the translucent wings of the great beast was enough to cut through the concrete, melting instead of burning the hard stone as the structures came tumbling down.

The firestorm captured and shaped into the likeness of a dragon swooped through the area and demolished all obstacles that stood in its way, leaving nothing but a charred path of destruction behind to before it gracefully pulled up, and started climbing into the pure white sky. Victoriously the dragon held itself in the high heavens, looking down on us as it breathed one last plume of fire into what was left of the new school building and the gymnasium; insurance that if even Kiba survived the primary onslaught, he would not survive the blazing heat that came for the last time.

That wasn't enough just yet, and with Kancho, I should really revise the name, in hand and barrier at the ready I lined up the shot.

I was treated with the sight of space rending as the spell launched itself into the heart of the firestorm, the location where Issei specifically once stood together with Shirone. It was blindingly fast, even in my eyes as the spell defied space if not time itself and soon after another rainbow pillar was created as the dimension once more threatened to pull itself apart. I managed to pump even more power into this last strike, so much so that the 'spear' devoured what was left of the magical firestorm, as well as most of the charred earth that was once the final resting place of the Rook and the Pawn, that if anyone were to look at the destruction they would think a sinkhole just suddenly appeared beside the ruined gymnasium.

The Dragon from on high let loose a mighty roar a moment before the announcement came; the last nail in the coffin that made victory all but assured.

[Rias Gremory-sama's Rook, Pawn, and Knight have retired]

Final battle recap: I had all my pieces still active, and she had one support unit remaining. I had all the power I needed to bring her down from all the way over here, and even if she were to come close enough I doubt my knights would let her touch me. I had the potential to be wielding nine queens, and all she had was a single bishop by her side.

She was prideful, but she had nothing now. Even she should see the futility in continuing the fight, despite everything inside her screaming for my head.

[Rias Gremory-sama has resigned]

And that was how, without as much drama or losing even a single piece, I defeated Rias Gremory.

* * *

Okay, here's chap 6 chaps.

Not much to say really, I mean, I'm really drawing a blank here. Hopefully I didn't disappoint with the results of their training and the fight scenes. I'm sure you guys would agree that two months is significantly longer than ten days, so of course I ended it with a vicious stomp.

Usual stuff, next chapter should end the first arc.

Questions are welcomed, and I'm still looking for a beta...

No one seems interested though =((

See you all next time, maybe.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: ...Give it up, My Friend, The Score is Settled even if You won't Admit it...

* * *

"You!" Kiba outright bellowed much to my surprise when he finally managed to regain consciousness. Funny, I didn't think he would be so loud after the tranquil fury he displayed in canon, but apparently he was a screamer too. "What the hell are you doing here?"

I, in my wisdom, decided to ignore him for the moment, and instead picked up the clipboard that was sitting on my lap. I managed to put on a considering expression, something which appeared to provoke the now conscious knight greatly if my glances at him were accurate, before taking the pen that was tucked under the metal clip and checking the third, and only, unmarked box on the paper.

"Well that makes all three then, though that isn't much of a surprise." I muttered, loud enough for him to hear while soft enough to be mistaken for thinking out loud. Kiba decided that he didn't like that very much, but before he could kill me with more Geneva convention violating vocals, or at least try to, I faced him. "Did you say something, Knight-kun? I'm not sure if I heard you properly." I replied politely to Kuoh Academy's currently fuming Prince Charming.

I was wearing a polite smile and looking the younger boy in the eye just like any civil person would, and I could easily spot the chill that went down his back as I made absolutely sure he realized what he just did. All it took was a little bit of power to remind him that I wasn't just any villain waging war against his beloved King. I was the villain who managed to completely annihilated them in what was considered a 'fair fight' though the odds and the outcome alone betray the truth, it was anything but.

It was nice to know he had most of his wits about him, the knight quickly controlling his anger once he concluded that if I wanted, he would be either a smear on the ground or, more than likely, a charred corpse.

He calmed himself with a single breath, deciding that if I was going to ignore his outburst he should as well, and looked around the room where he woke up.

It wasn't much of a room, and the rest of it wasn't even visible to him, or me for that matter. All his eyes could observe was the plain but comfortable bed that he was resting on, the plain white ceiling, and a set of simple red curtains that hung around us, almost like the ones found in their infirmary though a striking ruby instead of immaculate white. He was sitting on a simple bed, I was on a simple chair just a small distance away and yes, for the record, I was waiting for him to wake up.

"Where are we, Phenex-sama?" The boy looked nervous when he finally found his voice, along with his manners, his tone softer and more demure, if you could call a guy that. If I'm not mistaken I could actually _smell_ fear radiating from him. Eww... "It was our first Rating Game, and I'm not particularly certain if it's normal to be talking to the opposing King after we had just lost."

"That's because, Knight-kun, it isn't exactly normal. Though nothing about our match was normal, am I right?" I allowed myself a heartfelt chuckle, not from the attempted humor, but how Kiba took it.

I swear the boy's face sported a genuine smile at one point, and then it decided that it didn't like me very much and began to frown a little bit. Then, it got caught up in the question of what he was doing here after he lost, which quickly shifted to impatience, and then shifted to fear when he realized that I could and had actually tried to kill him last time he was conscious. To properly describe his face, try imagining one of those photobooth picture sets, the ones where you manage to produce four pictures a pop and place in a smile, a frown, a grimace, and scream. Then superimpose them and that was the face he was making. Of course, I had to laugh at that, if he thought I was trying to be nice then that was fine too.

"Besides." I try to draw the awkwardness away from the situation with a more relaxed smile but there must have been some lingering exasperation in my expression since my tone came out as affectionately annoyed. "I think the question you would prefer to ask would not start with Where, but When. But enough of that, I'm sure I'm taking too much of your time; you do have a party to prepare for."

"A party?" He blinked for a moment, his head not fully present yet due to my acting civilly after everything that happened. I was already standing, a hand reaching and preparing to part the curtains. "Um... Phenex-sama, I hadn't been informed of a party being held after..." He paused for a moment before his eyes widened, almost comically. It seemed like the truth had finally sunk in, since he chose the his next few words perfectly. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Not very long, just under two days, really." He didn't seem to like the careless way I said it, for very good reason. The average Devil's constitution was at the very least an order of magnitude better than any human's, so anything that could incapacitate a Devil for that long would have killed a human easily. "It could have been much worse, though I admit that I should have held back more. Your queen actually took the most damage, though I guess that was because of my first strike..."

"Akeno-san!" It was cute how he got all loud, his worry for the big-breasted Sadomasochist winning out over his fear of me as his face contorted in worried anguish with a touch of steel promising vengeance if he didn't like my reply. "How is she?"

"See for yourself."

A snap of my fingers and the curtains disappeared with a flourish of flame, revealing an unharmed Shirone chewing on a sweet to his left, and a positively tranquil Akeno sipping tea to his right. Shirone didn't seem bothered by the display, though she had a smile on her face as she looked upon her comrades. The knight breathed a sigh of relief, as he was the only one to witness the frightening feats of magic that forced his comrades out of the battle, his fear that they were killed was equaled only by his relief that they were safe. The queen sat with a satisfied expression on her face, the look of one who knew most of the story, but despite that there was still a sense of stoicism there.

Her guard was up then, good.

"Now that we're all together, we can have a proper conversation." I take my seat once more, and begin before they have a chance to regain their bearings and marshal their thoughts. All eyes fell on me as the sound of my chair sliding back under my weight rang in the silence. I had to make sure this conversation went according to plan, and since said plan required destroying any hope of a civil relationship with Rias's peerage, doing this should be fine. "Now that the challenge is out of the way, the wedding can finally get back on track."

That certainly got their attention, all three pieces turned stone-faced as their glares bore into me like laser beams. It became so deathly quiet that I could somehow hear my own heart beating and any amicable atmosphere vanishing with the nonexistent wind. Really, I was sure that if I made any gesture that was even vaguely threatening, none of the three would hesitate to start round two.

Mind control was always a messy thing, and dealing with a bunch of drones fanatically loyal to their King once again cemented that fact.

Well, that was fine. In fact, right now I was counting on them being offended for her sake.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm not the one who accepted the impossible challenge." Of course they didn't let up on their angry and slightly disgusted looks; I was the one who forced Rias to that choice after all, and they knew it. "Like I told your little lizard friend, if you want to blame someone for this arrangement, then go take it up with the Duke since we all know that the favoritism laws keep Lucifer from doing anything too drastic."

"You seem to be downplaying your own role in Rias-sama's unhappiness, Phenex-sama." Akeno said blandly, not trusting any of the others to keep a cool head considering the nature of this discussion. "Whatever you're planning, please do not claim to be innocent. It is... unbecoming for someone of your stature. Though, then again, when have you confined yourself to a respectable standard."

I bet she didn't expect me to pick up on the last sentence she uttered, but as of the moment the still air in the room was more my friend than hers. Her words whispered in my ear like a sweet lover would, the pain and anguish she felt almost bringing a smile to my face.

"My intentions are, and will remain, my own, Priestess of Thunder, but far be it from me to ignore an easy opportunity when one is presented to me." In response to her obvious anger, I simply smiled with an expression that could only be described as toxically sweet. "I would like to think that you children would understand that much at the very least."

There was no misunderstanding the implication I just leveled, and their reactions were as delicious as I had anticipated.

"Rias Gremory-sama isn't like that." Shirone muttered lowly, though it was more of a feral growl than a declaration as her bangs hid her eyes from me. Though I couldn't meet her gaze, the strange power welling up around her was far from friendly. "She's not like you."

"She came to us in our time of need. In the depths of our despair, she reached out to us and gave us new meaning, new purpose." Of course the vengeful knight was more eloquent, and his words sharper when he was pressed. His expression was of unrelenting fury, not unlike what would be seen when the cause of that suffering would come knocking on his doorstep. "We were gone and she brought as back. We were broken and she fixed us. We were worthless, and even today she still loves us like a family. Nobility or not, don't you _fucking_ dare imply she's anything like you."

"I was her first." At any other time, I would have laughed at how seriously Akeno said that. "And even before that, the Gremory's took me in. Before she offered me the piece and the position as her right hand, they fed me, they nourished me, they loved me; they saved me." Her grip on the teacup was knuckle white as her voice gained strength from the outrage pouring from her. "They made sure I knew everything that would come to pass when I was given peerage, and after everything that happened and all the trouble I caused her family, they cherished me like their own daughter. I refuse to sit here and listen to you slander against my Sister!"

"Ignorance truly is bliss, is it not? As you wish, I'll refrain from accusing my fiance of outright manipulation, but come to your senses. I've seen your records, and the evidence is all there if any of you had the good sense to just look at how flimsy her so-called 'Love' is. Let's start with you, since you were, as you say, her first, Akeno." She was tense, her expression schooled around an angry flat line though her bright violet eyes spoke of hatred. "One of the conditions for your survival is that you stay beside Rias. Therefore it was only natural they cared for you the way they did since at any time, you could have easily struck her down before dying yourself."

"Their caring for you? If I wished to tame a lion of course I would treat it with love like I would one of my own, but that doesn't change the fact that I would have tamed a beast capable of mauling my enemies at my command." I've been told that spinning a story was a talent of the bards of old: to be ready to sing for one side of a conflict and at any given moment change sides and write out an entirely new tale as fortune changes her fickle mind. The uses of such a skill are obvious, and its value incalculable as one never know when twisting the fabric of truth would prove beneficial. "They knew of your situation since the Duke's own hand guarded your life, and I hazard a guess that they knew even before tragedy struck your household. Really, the only question was what piece to give you: Would you be strong enough to take the responsibilities and powers of a Queen, or would a Bishop suffice?"

Visually she appeared carved out of stone, but I could see the cracks in her spirit and the fissures of doubt allowing indignant fury to slip through. It wasn't much, but I could see my poison beginning to sap her anger, allowing hesitation began to creep in. Satisfied with my work, I gave her a last vicious smile before turning towards Kiba, who was already agitated listening to me pick the dark history of his queen apart.

"Your case is a bit simpler, Knight-kun, because of the, questionable, circumstances surrounding it." Kiba didn't pale when I began cutting into him, but painting his case in a negative light was still far easier than for Akeno. "I mean, I don't even need to discuss how they've treated you, since there is no middle-man in your story. The opening scene in your damnation starts with two actors, yourself and my fiance. But though it seems all well and good we haven't touched the How yet." I could see the gears beginning to turn as I let him ponder the clue, all the while feeling the practiced smile of treachery positively glowing on my face.

"I'm sure you can see where I'm coming from, Knight-kun, after all; what would the younger sister of the _most powerful_ Satan be doing smack dab in the middle of Church Territory, alone and unguarded?" I allowed myself to laugh, light hearted and completely genuine since I did in fact find what I was doing funny. "It almost seems silly, right? Considering Lucifer is publicly known to be a doting brother, and one of the two reasons why the so called anti-favoritism laws are in place, something like that should never happen, and yet here you are. Your very existence is making a joke out of a serious rule that has prevented wars, Knight-kun, so I want you to think long and hard about about how it happened."

He was trembling with furious, desperate rage as I dragged his image of Rias and the House of Gremory off of their pedestals and into the mud. As great as it was his rage was without an outlet, no matter how he crafted his arguments and sifted through my own, he could find no fault in my words. As much as he hated me now for tearing open these old wounds he was helpless as that same hatred clouded his mind and left him without a proper retort. I could see desperate thought in those eyes aglow with hate, malice, and disbelief as he began tearing himself apart, the war between love and hatred proving too vicious to be quelled by will alone.

Good.

"Finally we go to you, the most blatant case of tampering among the bunch. I guess I should begin with the most obvious proof: You're name isn't Toujou Koneko, is it?" Her body stiffening was all I needed to see to know that my ploy worked. Of course, I ignored the pair glaring daggers at me and simply focused on the girl too distraught to meet my gaze. "Of course it isn't, no decent mother would ever name her precious daughter like that. I read a bit of your history and looking at everything you actually have the most potential of the three of you. "

"Hmm, well I guess you aren't the only one, considering your queen's father, and the one who 'blessed' your knight, but the point still stands that you are the most immediate threat." I made sure to sound as gentle as possible as I spoke to the little girl, though I'm pretty sure my sarcastic emphasis on certain words ruined it. She was almost at the breaking point, one more good push would do it, so I cradled my face in my hands and leaned in. "Your name though, would it have killed Rias to choose something more appropriate?"

"Your sister was Kuroka, right? Hmm, Kuro..." I smiled and if it was an expression of a demon or angel, I wouldn't know. "Following that, I guess your name would have something to do with Shiro, ne?"

That did it.

The next thing I knew, Kiba's sword slammed into the barrier I had prepared for this contingency, his patience shattering the moment I insulted each of them to their face.

His face was a mask of pure hate, rage violently throwing aside whatever fear of me was left as he struggled to force his sword through the transparent shield. His wrath warped what was an elegant longsword, causing it to grow into a harsh and savage espadon. It was with this bladed battering ram that he beat against the invisible wall a cacophony of noise blasting against my ears in vain. Kiba was desperate to strike me down, his eyes showing only a morbid expression of denial. It was like he was trying to shield his ears from the venomous words I whispered into their ears, trying could keep his blissful ignorance as I drowned them in the bitter truth.

I expected him to continue the assault for a few minutes, perhaps with a stronger or more damaging sword, but he froze when a heartbroken wail emanated a few inches to his side.

Seeing my word's effects took the strength in his arms and his massive sword dropped harmlessly to his side. He didn't even have the presence of mind to dismiss the enchanted steel as he witnessed what happens when old scars are violently reopened.

Koneko was weeping bitter tears as her fists repeatedly hammered the barrier. Rage, loss, frustration, and disbelief; all were present in her eyes as she shrieked her lungs out. Each blow could have easily crushed boulders and each strike flew faster than an arrows, but against the bulwark I created, all the strength and desperation were for naught as the child finally reached her breaking point. I'm sure she would have been willing to batter at the barrier until either it or her body gave out, but Akeno's gentle hand appeared, coming to rest on her shoulder.

In her rage Shirone hadn't noticed, but I managed to pick out the Akeno's swift movement as she leaped from her bed and ghosted over to the smaller girl. My barrier only protected me from the front, keeping them from reaching me but allowing them to reach each other, and with the speed of a knight and strength of a rook the queen possessed, it would have been child's play for her to stop the rampaging nekomata. But instead it was with a gentle hand that she quelled the rook's rage, the queen landing soundlessly as she began to comfort the smaller girl. With that simple gesture, Shirone was once again frozen solid. Tears continued to run down her cheeks as her body trembled, but with the same sense of gentleness I often saw in my human mother, Akeno smiled down at the one who wouldn't meet her gaze.

Tranquil yet firm hands traced the arm of the agitated nekomata, the light sense of touch draining her anger until only sorrow and loss remained. Those same hands lightly tugged at the smaller girl's limbs as the queen pulled the rook into her embrace, a serene and loving smile upon her face as hands I had seen wield punishment and pain spun small circles around the smaller girl's back as she ushered comfort into the little girl.

Shirone squeezed her tightly, desperately, as she bawled into the queen's chest, the Queen's Fortitude more than likely being the only thing allowing Akeno to smile gently despite the small rook's immense strength. She cried out for a sister would would never come, heartbreaking wails tearing from her throat as the woman attempted to comfort her with whispered promises of family and companionship.

That was one.

Kiba, too shocked to do anything despite his hate and rage, watched as the rook's tears continued to pour, rivulets running down her cheek even as she was being held in the queen's bosom. He could have summoned a sword and continued to strike at the barrier, he could have joined his queen's attempt at pacifying the little girl of their patchwork family, but he did neither as his empty eyes stared into the wall. He knew I had spoken the truth for Shirone, and I would bet my house he was wondering if my words to him were equally true.

That was two.

Akeno, even too busy to do anything, was definitely ready to take the largest sword Kiba could create and shove it where the sun doesn't shine. The scene of her acting out the role of the older sister to an abandoned child would be a little more touching if it didn't include her preparing for what was to be one of the strongest lightning strikes of her young life. The room was beginning to stink of ozone as power which could only be hers flooded the area to such an extent that I could feel it even behind the barrier, my skin tingling as expertly controlled charges were created before me and the markings of a circle seemed to flicker atop the magic I was using to defend myself.

That was three.

It had taken several minutes, several days if I was being honest, but I had done it.

Rias's three strongest pieces stood broken before me.

Perfect. And now that my job was done, I guess I should begin making preparations for the big party.

As I turned away I would swear that the flash of lightning striking at my barrier and the sound of thunder roaring murderously in my ears had never sounded so sweet.

It always feels good to win.

* * *

"Are you sure you can do this alone, my Lord?" Francis seemed apprehensive, although that may have been his normal voice. It was admittedly much harder to tell when he was dressed in full armor. "With all due respect, my Lord, this is a duty we took up with full knowledge when we were sworn into the service of the Phenex Family. It is an honor and a pleasure to safeguard the future of this house on the eve of this most wondrous occasion."

"Yes, I am absolutely sure, Francis." I wave him, and by extension his men, off with a gentle smile as I lean back into my seat and stare wistfully at the ceiling of my study. "This is a happy occasion and I want you all celebrating with me."

The Captain of the guard of the Phenex Household balked, which was expected considering the circumstances. I mean, this was exactly what he was paid to do, guard our family come high water, since we were already in hell, and I was telling him to take a break. I could assume that this was everything he knew, maybe even everything he lived for, but for tonight I was asking him to go and enjoy himself; his hesitation was no surprise.

"My Lord, while we appreciate the gesture, we are sworn to guard your household at all times." His voice was resolute, and though his face was not visible, his bearing was that of a soldier who would never disobey a command from a superior. "It would be our eternal shame if anything were to happen tonight while we eat, drink, and make merry. No servant of the Phenex would leave their masters unprotected, especially in the presence of company."

"Is it not equally unbecoming to speak against your Lord once I have made my decision?" I pointed out, tilting my head as a small smile tugged at my lips. "Francis, you have been with this family for as long as I remember. Both Ruval and Revive speak of you being around when they were still children, and your exemplary service to them. Is it too much to ask that you take a break and celebrate with me, now that the legendary playboy is finally getting ready to settle down?"

Francis was a strange one alright, both one of the most loyal people I have ever met, human or a devil, he was also one of the most stubborn. This man was older than my eldest brother, who had lived and breathed war since the time of The Great War, and up until the establishment of the Rating Game system. He once covered for an entire battalion during the Civil War, battling his way through the best the Leviathan could offer, all the while without as single solitary soldier watching his back. That monumental feat alone spoke volumes of his skill and his wisdom and to have survived and even thrived in such tumultuous times simply cemented it. Supposedly, he used to be the very tip of each spear hurled by the Phenex Legions: the one always in the thick of the fighting, a decorated war commander and a noble in his own right; and yet he chose to forgo his accolades and remain one of the most powerful members of our family's army.

He was my father's second in command, the wingman of the Phenex, and for all the glory he earned across centuries of battle, he stayed with us as a simple guard. Well, captain of the guard, but he spent most days tirelessly training his subordinates or patrolling the grounds despite the time of peace. Even now, he has the control of a veteran soldier over men, weapons, and, I can only assume, magic as he has the aura of a powerful demon about him, almost threatening those who wish the Phenex harm to come at him that he might dispatch them with all haste.

I was actually surprised when I heard the entirety of his tale for the first time, I had never known him as the brave soldier who fought side by side with my father, and later, my two brothers. Second-hand memories didn't paint him as a soldier who would go out into battle and lead his men from the center of the battlefield, crashing through the bodies of his enemies with might and magic and bellowing commands to the mass of troops behind him.

No, to Riser he was Francis: the babysitter.

This was the man who watched over him whenever his parents weren't around, the one who took care of him when mother or father were not available. When Revive was being too overbearing or Ruval would chide him again and again, it was Francis who became his confidant. This was the man who cared for him when he felt that his family turned their backs on him, and though those memories weren't mine there was a sense of contentment now that I could finally pay him back.

He should be Ravel's guard now, but since I had taken her into my peerage I was once again in his care. It's not as if I need it, but it was a safety net of some sort, so that if ever I got too out of my depth, I would have the... fifth strongest member of our armed forces at my back. Of course, I would have Mother, Father, Ruval, and Revive backing me up too, but it was nice to know that I had other powerful people by my side who weren't explicitly family.

"I see why my Lady was so happy when you finally called. The little boy has finally grown into a man." Francis the soldier then changed to Francis the Chief Caretaker and I could feel him smile from beneath his shadowy helmet. "It feels like it was just yesterday that I had to fish you out of the lake when you decided that practicing wind magic was supposed to be 'safer' than practicing with your flames. If I recall correctly it was Ruru-sama who once again took to the task of disciplining you. I must admit, you siblings were rather adorable when dealing with each other, though your antics were equally entertaining. Ahh~ those were the good old days."

"You're getting senile old man, you _were_ forced to fish me out of the lake yesterday." I could hear his soft baritone rumble in a chuckle as we shared a laugh for the first time, as me and not Riser. "I'm sure that Rae would have done so herself if she knew how to swim. Seriously, that girl, of all the skills she lacks I find it hard to believe that swimming is one of them. If she knew how to swim then you wouldn't have gotten involved... again."

"True, underwater combat is always a possibility and the depths might provide enough cover to form a teleportation circle if need be." The older man nodded once, his fingers reaching for his chin as his mind wandered towards either battle tactics or my embarrassing childhood. Assuming the worst case scenario, it was probably the latter. "Ah, I remember now. Yesterday was just like the time you knocked yourself out during a training session, with an explosion no less. I always wondered how such a child could muster enough energy to throw himself over the castle, several acres of dense forests and into the lake, but now I find myself wondering when you will do so again."

"Give me a break, how was I supposed to know how much power that attack would have? And these last two times I was going for piercing damage, I wasn't prepared for an explosion of that magnitude!" Yeah, that was a dark time a few weeks back, when I was still developing the Kancho, New Name Pending. The long and short of it was that when I threw my first spear, and tried to create a copy of Ea, it blew up in my face and sent me crashing into the lake, after knocking me out. "And besides, that baby won me the game, as well as a reluctant bride, so I guess the small amount of embarrassment was worth it. Now all that's left for me is to deal with my bride."

There was a lull in the conversation, Francis humming in contentment as his mind wandered to times long past and the children he had cared for. He was always an accomplished storyteller, and I could feel that at this moment, he was reliving those happy times when we were young and stupid. Back when life was simpler, when Ruval was the bright and happy little boy who didn't know the meaning of the words privacy and restraint, Revive was a socially awkward recluse who couldn't say a word to anyone outside of family, and I was the youngest child desperately trying to claw my way out of my brother's shadows.

I wondered for a moment how I would have felt if I had lived those memories instead of just watching them. Looking through them, just glancing at those I can remember with the Thought Magic that I always kept active, I couldn't really say if I would have ended up the way Riser did. In the end he wasn't me, and neither was this persona him anymore, but an entirely different person.

My very presence altered the story, and that confuddling story I read once upon a time didn't even cover the entirety of this universe.

Francis was never brought up in the original narrative, and neither was Revive, so who knows how many things are different, even if Riser stayed the same?

No, not now. It's time to think about tonight, not the past beyond my reach or the future hidden in shadow. I needed to act freely, to be able to make the changes necessary; and to do that, I needed Francis and his men to take a break.

"Rye-sama, why are you so adamant about this?" The subject of my musings brought me out of my reverie with a soft and genuinely curious voice. Though he remained at attention, no doubt the mark left by decades of discipline, there was a worried air about him. "Even Ruru-sama wasn't this pushy when he invited me to his wedding, and that we were discussing the ceremony itself. This is but your engagement party, so I fail to see why you would push this issue."

"I heard from Onii-sama that you weren't the type to listen without direct confrontation, so I went ahead and directly confronted you about it." I could feel him raise an eyebrow at my wording as I nodded to myself at the flawlessly childish reasoning. "So I thought that I should secure your cooperation as early as now to make sure that you actually do attend the wedding."

Yes, that disbelief in the air is exactly what I need. He'll be too confused by the utterly stupid and yet somewhat logical reasoning to figure out the true reason why I want-

"Out with it." His tone of voice was forceful, and the sheer weight of his presence zeroed in on me like the gaze of a vengeful god. Screw the fact that he was dressed in the tight mail suit and the minimalistic armor of the average sentinel, the imaginary blade I felt tickling my throat reminded me that this was and still is the Supreme General of the Phenex Legions speaking to me.

And he just gave me an order, with a tone of command so absolute that if I had any less control I would have answered it immediately.

Except I obviously did not have enough control, as my hesitation betrayed the deception. Now he knew that I was hiding something, and it was only the fact that I was of higher rank than him that he hadn't tried to pry at my secrets.

Really, the fuck is up with non-canon characters reading me like an open book? It's supposed to be just me and normal characters who can be read because I did read the open book, damn it! I mean, fuck, am I really that unguarded when I don't have an unfair advantage allowing me to know the person? Does that mean mother and father know my plans too?

Okay, calm down. No need to panic just yet. It's not like he can sense that I'm plan- Oh who am I kidding?

"Someone's going to sabotage the party." I calmly reply, the jester mask of the youngest son of the family melting away to show an expressionless facade. There was no expression on my face, I know because I froze every muscle that could betray emotion and killed any inflection before it could rise in my voice.

"Do you know who would try to do such a thing?" All pressure faded when the general's presence faded and all semblance warmth and nostalgia brought by the last conversation faded away like a dream. He was doing his job as our main guardian, but there was a small hint of concern in his voice. Just goes to show that everyone has their soft spots, even hardened veterans of two consecutive wars.

"Of course I do, my problem is that I can only defend at this stage of the game, rather than counter attack." I explained patiently before sighing deeply. "Even if I do rally all the resources I have at my disposal, I highly doubt I could survive confronting Sirzechs Lucifer-sama, much less defeat him in direct combat."

Assuming it goes like it did in the novels, the boy will be endorsed by Lucifer himself, which means that only those with balls big enough to challenge the single most powerful entity in the Underworld will try to strike before the child issues his little challenge. Anyone who gets in between me and him will become fair game, including the guards. As much as they might help by sapping a portion of the boy's power before he can challenge me to a fight, I want that challenge to happen on my terms rather than his.

Only after I beat him at his best will the boy accept defeat, and maybe not even then. I could twist the situation in my favor even more if I require it, but that is more of a contingency than a part of my strategy.

"Lucifer-sama will be among the guests at the party and his station forbids him from interfering with the affairs of the House of Gremory, he cannot act directly. Who is his representative that even you seem hesitant to act?" He was a general, I guess he could follow this conversation well enough, though there was a tinge of confusion in his voice. He was still looking at the situation from the wrong perspective; I was definitely not afraid of Hyoudou Issei.

"You seem to be misunderstanding something, Francis. This isn't a fight, this is cleanup." I clarified before the thought that I was afraid of that dragon boy forced a laugh from my throat. "The Red Dragon Emperor is naught but a child, and poses no real threat; but I'm sure you know all about the persistence of youth."

"I see, that would explain why Gremory-sama insisted on taking her pawn home after we administered the tears. To think that Lucifer himself would be against us... it's a very terrifying prospect." His fears were not unfounded, even with his arms and legs tied down by the laws the Satans themselves put into effect, his reach was long enough to pose a very real threat. "If it is truly the Prince of Lies you're waging this war game against, this won't be the last time he will strike."

"True, but that fact is dependent on another variable." I allowed a smile to grace my face as I shook my head. "No matter what he can muster, as long as there is no call to action then I should be safe. I change a single mind and all my problems are solved."

"The Lady then?"

"Precisely. Once I win her approval, Lucifer-sama will have no reason to come for me. But those are plans for the future and hopefully they won't be necessary for a time." I looked him in the eye one last time before pleading with him one last time. "For now, will you please stay out of it Uncle, for me?"

There was a moment when I thought he would refuse me, and I wouldn't have blamed him. This did seem like a foolhardy plan against an impossible enemy, and I couldn't explain why I was so confident that it would work. Men didn't live through war by obeying orders, but by using their good sense and limited knowledge to choose the best possible course of action and weathering whatever consequences it may carry. All good sense would be screaming at him to ignore the child barely out of his twenties and jump to his rescue, and if he did that then I couldn't have done anything.

To tell the truth, if Ravel were to say anything like this, I would flat out refuse to leave her side until I was sure it was safe.

"If you dare die on us, I'll make sure to remind everyone of who exactly caused that fire when your brother first won his bride.." He sighed tiredly, in the way that he always did when I managed to set my eyes on a particularly dangerous course of action. "And I'm sure _everyone_ would take a turn sharing stories of your… escapades."

"But Uncle, threatening the third heir is unbecoming of the Captain of the Guard for the Noble House of Phenex." I sang in a sweet tone, inwardly cheering as the man before me scoffed and strode forward with terrible purpose.

"Shut it, Brat."

Getting my hair ruffled was well worth it.

* * *

"Why can't we make our grand entrance with you, Riser-sama?" Strangely enough it was Mira who asked, a bit of a pout ruining the mood as she gripped my sleeve.

She would be wearing her new outfit tonight since she wasn't expected to confront Issei, that was my job, and she wanted to show off for the party a bit. At first she was quite excited that she would be making her debut in her new gear, but the moment I told them that they would be going out first, she immediately latched onto my arm and refused to let go.

The adorable 'baby' of my peerage, she was still the weakest after all, shook impatiently in her pristine purple furisode, sending the pale lavender fabric billowing around her as the long sleeves began to go everywhere. Contrary to most garments of that type, the fabric itself was very plain, the white lilies woven into the soft silk were barely visible but the sharp azure obi practically glowed as it hugged her waist, and even more beautiful was the bow on her back. The inner red fabric was visible where the kimono folded, flashes of crimson being seen as she swung the long sleeves, along with the customized slit that allowed her legs some ability to move.

Her hair was left undone and there was a light layer of make up dusted over her cheeks, but whatever refined air that afforded her was ruined as she continued puffing her cheeks and throwing her tantrum.

"He will be hosting the party Mira." It was my sister in her cocktail dress, just like in the anime, who stopped her with a quick bop to the head. "Let him handle the presentation and he will be with us before you know it. Come along now, I'm sure my brother is counting on us to entertain the guests while he is not able to." She gestured with her fan as the teary-eyed pawn finally relented.

"Go on, both of you, I'm sure that both sets of twins need your help picking their dresses. I swear, just because they once wore uniforms they're treating this decision like they will be wearing whatever they pick for the rest of their lives." I gently reassure her with a smile. "I won't need you guys till next week so you are all free to relax and go crazy. And don't worry, you look beautiful so hurry up and enjoy yourselves for the rest of the night."

They both smiled radiantly, Mira with a light rose blush coloring her cheeks while Ravel shook her head as she dragged the puppy of a girl out of the room.

If I'm not mistaken, Luna, Isabela and Xuelan were already out there waiting for the rest of my peerage. Both sets of twins were still getting ready for the night, the cats fiddling with their dresses while the kids were deciding whether to go casual or formal, there being no real dress code and Mira soon joined them. The maids were in uniform, although they told me that as members of my peerage they would be joining the celebration rather than working in the kitchen or the ballroom. That just left Shuriya, who was still preparing her own outfit and her own special mission, while my sister walked out the door to entertain some of the guests.

I was wearing my white tuxedo this time, manga clothing without the strange butt-cape, rather than the strange getup he had during the anime. No, all I had was a simple white coat, grey undershirt, white slacks and the responsibility of picking up the leading lady for tonight's performance.

Oh joy.

With the ability to teleport within our grasp, a journey of a thousand miles doesn't even require a single step, much less a few hundred meters. So with a flash of light I find myself standing in a lavish room, as luxurious as they come, empty save for two people. With the maids made aware of my change, or rather the fact that I wasn't a raging sexual predator waiting to pounce on the closest available woman, they were more willing to leave me alone with my fiance. Thus, after they had prepared her for the ceremony every maid left to help out in the kitchen or to take a well deserved rest.

It always pays to have a good relationship with the servants; it's less likely that they'll try to poison you when you keep them well fed, taken care of, and generally satisfied with their lives.

"Are you just going to stand there ogling me?" Her expression was stony as she stared at me through the mirror, her arms crossed under her luscious breasts as her tone betrayed nothing but disapproval for the entire affair.

Say what you will about Rias Gremory, she may be too innocent to be devious, actually devious and just playing innocent, too stupid, or just that morally confused, but damn did she strike a figure in that wedding outfit. The dress hugged her figure perfectly, and the lack of a neckline made sure that I had a very good view of her assets, even if the lower half of the gown puffed out so much that I couldn't see her admittedly sweet ass. I don't know why we need her to wear those strange puffy armlets and large cuffed gloves, but the tantalizing contrast between pale alabaster skin and immaculate cream was somewhat alluring on it's own.

Oh, and her Glamour may have been on at full blast, so really she was a sight to behold in spite of the utter contempt she held me in. Hell, she didn't even find me worth turning around for, her deep aquamarine eyes glaring at me through the reflection of the large full body mirror that stood against the wall.

"If you continue to act like this then maybe our guests can wait a few more hours." I smile playfully at her reflection as I take my first careful steps forward. Not too hungrily, though perhaps a bit too casual, I walked at a pace that was almost lazy as if I through a tranquil meadow being embraced by a spring breeze, rather than towards my fiancee would would sooner castrate me than sleep in the same room, much less the same bed. "You do look beautiful in that dress, even if you still refuse to smile for me."

"I'm not so forgiving as to smile for someone like you, Riser." She didn't turn away from my gaze, not that she could when doing so would just make her face me, but she spat out those words like they tasted bitter in her mouth. Even after her defeat she still had the spirit to fight, huh, if so this would not be easy. "What is with this dress? This is just the engagement ceremony right? Why does it look like I'm going to walk down the aisle and be married to something like you?"

"Ah, that spirit is refreshing, though you must relax, my beloved." I allowed my eyes to wander over her form, and she must have noticed since her emotionless mask cracked to reveal a slight grimace before our eyes locked once more. "I'm sure you don't think that I would let you get married in that drab thing. In fact, I have the oddest feeling that your brother would forever hate me if I allowed his sister to wear nothing less than the best I could provide on the day we finally say our vows. No, your wedding dress will be so much more beautiful, of that I can promise you."

"Whatever, do you have anything else to say?" She seemed eager to get rid of me now, her hand waving off the topic of the dress as she refused to meet my gaze. "I'm sure _your_ guests are waiting for the 'star of the show' to arrive."

"Oh, I assure you my dear, they are and that is why I'm here." Alright, cheesy line loaded and charismatic smile beaming at full force. Execute attack. "I need to pick her up as soon as possible, but if she wishes to keep them waiting for a few more minutes then I'm perfectly alright sitting idly for a moment and enjoying this exclusive preview. It's nice to know that she is oh so willing to put on a private show for me, even if so many are just dying to see her light up the room."

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, pondering whether the comment was genuine or just another attempt to charm her, before the fire returned to her eyes and all before the fire returned to her eyes and her face settled into a determine mien. She turned around with a resolute expression and, surprisingly, closed the distance between us in a very efficient manner, ending at a short distance away; that is to say, out of easy arm's reach. Ah, I see she came to the conclusion that I was complimenting her to egg her on and make her come to my side, knowing that the only thing she found more uncomfortable than being seen with me was being alone with me.

That was fine, it was half of the reason after all.

The other half was that, yeah, she was beautiful, Glamour or no.

"Let's just get this over with then." She declared as she faced the door, the reflection in the mirror showing me a glimpse of the smooth skin of her back and a curtain of deep crimson hair as she stood by my side. "The sooner this is over, the sooner I can return to school and ignore your existence for a few months."

I held myself still as she made her way to the door; my hesitation starkly contrasting her frustrated impulsiveness as I stood in the center of the room while she continued to sashay forward as if she was meant to. I could have just ended it right there, you know; just led her out of the room, into the crowd and get on with the night. I could have done so easily, just rolled with it and played cool.

But I didn't, because there was this huge, perplexing question that really confused me for the longest time.

"What do you see in him?" The words flew out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying, the room suddenly gaining a harsh silence as her steps forwards stopped and I allowed the weight of my question to fully sink in. I'd already started, so there was no reason to not continue. "He's one of the Two Heavenly Dragons so despite his current strength, no one can deny his potential. Your investment in him will clearly pay dividends if he ends up as powerful as you. But too go as far as to give yourself to him just to get away from me? Do you really hate me that much?"

My eyes were sharp. With a devil's enhanced senses, I could see things more clearly and with higher definition than any human eye, and with control over magic surpassing that of another world I would say that I could see through to the truth of most things when I enhanced my vision. Through these magically altered eyes I saw her form stiffen ever so slightly as I loosed that last sentence, and though I could see surprise slowing and locking her movements there was a touch of confusion and a sliver of doubt holding her back.

Her face was beautiful like a goddess carved from marble and equally cold, but she stared at me with eyes ablaze like she, not I, was the descendant of an immortal phoenix. There was a firestorm raging in her soul, and through azure colored windows I could see doubt whip through her fanning the flames of outrage, confusion consuming everything as it bursts and flutters while doubt struggled to survive amidst the chaotic inferno.

I had to admit that she had more control of herself than I anticipated, since despite her soul being shaken by words she never thought to hear from me, she replied with all the elegance of royalty. "How is this important now?"

"Come now my dear, I've just been compared to a useless child with one sole redeeming factor. Of course I would be confused if you of all people said that." I chuckled lightly, but her expression didn't change in the slightest. "Honestly, I want to know what could make him more attractive than me."

Her face softened for a moment, her guard dropping as she paused to give the question some thought. "He's much easier to deal with for one, and his personality isn't so horribly insufferable."

"But, my love, he's a pervert; and worse still he's one _actually aiming_ for a harem." I playfully point out, leaning into her face half teasing and completely condescending. "Good try, but try to be a bit more convincing when you reply. If it's just perversion, then I am still a much better choice, and if its personality then you should know that being a resurrected devil automatically makes them more agreeable. So I'll stand by the fact that you could have selected better; rutting with a servant isn't exactly the best way to get out of an engagement."

"I would still prefer warming his bed over yours." She all but spat, the legendary Gremory Protective Instinct kicking in. Right now, even if she didn't love him as strongly as she would in canon, she was still protective of him just as she is her nephew. "Better an unrepentant pervert than a blatant womanizer."

"Dearest, the boy wants a harem just as much as you want true love." I smiled even wider as she twitched in outrage, surprised agitation barely kept in check as I took a sledgehammer to that nerve. "Once he gets his first opportunity and recognizes it, that boy will be deeper in women than you are in this convoluted mess of plots and plans. Then again, I don't see how that matters since you _grew up_ with that, or did you forget your father?"

"Don't you dare bring my family into this!" She demanded, throwing her hands to the side as a wave of power so palpable slammed past me. I admit that the miss wasn't due to her lack of trying and I had to erect a barrier if I didn't want to have to change. Her control was as impeccable as ever, though there were now ruinous trenches scattered over the room showing where The Power of Destruction had passed, her gown was immaculate.

Moving on.

"They are the reason we're in this engagement in the first place. Our parents chose this for both of our benefit and, quite frankly, I agree with their reasoning." I replied with a softer tone as my expression shifted from overly cheerful to solemn. "They are worried about the future of devil-kind, Rias, but my own parents are more worried about you. Your father and mine have been friends for a while, and this new bond is not just for politics and power, they believe we can have a future together. The same kind of future which drove your father to abandon his harem and mine to pursue my mother for _centuries._ I can make you happy, my love, beyond a shadow of a doubt, if you just let me."

Disgust burning in her eyes, she was ready to spit profanities at my attempt to woo her once more, but she couldn't hide her surprise when I shifted tactics.

A part of her dearly wanted to believe that I was speaking the truth, and that somehow the man known to be the youngest womanizer of the Underworld would actually change if she wanted him to. She was right, of course, and I would change, though I doubt she would prefer who I am to the pervert I feign to be. The other, and obviously smarter part of her, screamed that this was deception, and that I should not be trusted. The two halves were arguing so vehemently that her face was pulled every which way, leading to a strange mask which couldn't show emotion as she didn't know what she was feeling, other than thoroughly confused.

In the end, she simply gave up with a sigh, a deep one normally heard from war veterans, disaster survivors, and the parents of young toddlers after a long day.

"Let's leave this alone for now, shall we? As much as I like the idea of shaming you in public, it gets less appealing when I realize I'll be lumped in with you." The fire in her eyes dimmed as everything that happened and all we had discussed overwhelmed her fury.

"Of course, my love, whatever you say." I would count this as a win by how tired she sounded, and as much as I wanted to continue I could be magnanimous in my victory.

With a snap of my fingers, the circle once more materialized before us.

"I would say 'after you', but this situation requires both of us to enter together." I offered her my arm with a radiant. "Care to indulge me?"

She said nothing, but though I was no masochist, the fierce tug on my arm that came awfully close to dislocating my shoulder made me feel like I had finally won.

Well, not quite yet.

* * *

"Buchou, no, Rias Gremory's virginity belongs to me!"

I blinked.

Seriously, just when you think that your life can't get any crazier, and this is taking into account that I was dragged into a world where supernatural beings were both much stronger and paradoxically weaker in different ways, Fate decides to toss something like this onto my lap. I mean, no one can be that brain dead: to barge into a party with several of the strongest people you will ever meet and claim someone's virginity. Scratch that: I like pussy as much as the next guy, but even I wouldn't do something that would put me in the cross-hairs of the strongest and most influential being this side of the universe.

I'm sure that Lucy likes the boy, mostly by association since Rias likes him, but to blatantly claim the virginity of said beloved sister is just too much. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that no matter how much Sona really liked Saji deep, really unfathomably deep in her cold heart, the moment he tried to enter a party and scream to the world that they would be making the beast with two backs that night, Serafall would kill him before he could draw his next breath.

In no reasonable reality was this supposed to happen.

But still, before me was a still living and all too determined Issei, ready to fight me the moment someone gave the go ahead. I didn't know how my canon counterpart could have possibly missed his hand pulsing with power, as well as the lingering scent of holy incense around his blessed crucifix, but I could see he was ready for this battle. From the surety of his stance, the resolve in his eyes and the power threatening to spill out and engulf the room, I could tell that this wouldn't be a curbstomp like before, but rather a real fight.

To admit fear would be an admission of weakness, of the presence of human weakness, but apprehension welled up inside of me as the boy and I stared each other down.

Of course, I still worked to save face, this _was_ my party. It's amazing what something as simple as reputation can do, and I didn't want my ruined as much as had been done by my canon counterpart when he dragged his own name through the mud.

So it was with an impassive and uncaring face that I looked at the servant ready to kill me, my throat armed with the words meant to silence the entire room.

"Is everyone here as confused as I am?" My tone was totally deadpan though I made a point to speak before anyone could react to such a scandalous statement. I needn't have bothered since there were spit takes bursting all around the room, so most people were still too busy coughing liquor to find their voice. "Because, personally, I find it troubling that a person supposedly too weak to teleport under my fiancee's power was able to get here, and apparently no one knows about it."

There was a tinge of hurt in his expression as I mentioned one of his, numerous, weak points. Thank goodness his mind was so clouded with the smoke of anger that he didn't stop to think and question how exactly I knew something so minor. If dear Rias took that train of thought farther then maybe there would have been a bit more trouble for me, but as it stood, I forced the hand of the largest player in this game, apart from me of course.

That one comment was masterfully prepared, enough confidence and true confusion to catch the attention of the crowd and inform them of something they had no reason to doubt. I had no reason to disparage my fiancee at this point, so in saying that Issei was just that weak I implied that he had help; specifically inside help. Such doubt would rise as quickly as bamboo grows, and in an instant, what looked to be a tasteless joke would be classified as a bona fide terrorist attack.

At this point, everyone was silent and not because worry or confusion overtook them. No, this was the unity of Devils, that despite any possible misgivings about me each and every one of them would be willing to lend a hand should push come to shove in this matter. The Civil War was to thank for these ridiculously strong ties, and now if one was part of a faction it was very likely that they would give their very lives to help their allies.

As a side note, that was what made the defection of the Ice Queen, admittedly the simplest among her titles, Grayfia Lucifuge all the more surprising, to the mixed feelings of Devilkind.

Speaking of her spouse though. "Aren't you a bit too young to be talking like you've been through war, Riser?"

The man was imposing no matter how admittedly girly he looked with his mother in the room. He was the type of pretty boy you wouldn't mind meeting in a dark alley if you go by looks alone, but everyone knew not to say that to his face. The resemblance was really there and I swear if you take away a considerable portion of his height, I was taller than him strangely enough, maybe slim him down a bit more and give him a pair of melons on his chest, he would look exactly like his mother with red hair. I guess you could dye that, and it would even stay since he wasn't the type to slaughter his enemies in bloody battle.

No, he was the type to utterly obliterate them without ever dirtying his hands, with an honest smile on his face.

The Fallen God help the man who he raises _his_ hand against.

The man on the other side of the board, Sirzechs Lucifer, had finally shown up, and he was smiling at me like it was the most natural thing in the world.

It was always those who smiled that you had to worry about most, and it's part of the reason I've been smiling more despite everything, But I've never truly felt the effects of that weapon until my gaze landed on the face of an experienced killer. The gentleness in his expression was unnerving, doubly so when I realized that he would, in the worst case scenario, leave no trace of my body after he was done with it.

No, wait.

He can't do that, not yet, and with enough work it'll stay that way.

"I like to read in my spare time, believe it or not, and strangely enough fact can be more interesting than fiction. History is nice too, and if it really is cyclical then I might as well have a head start considering how long we can live during peacetime." I nonchalantly replied, ignoring the maelstrom of power threatening to overtake my senses and smiled at evil incarnate. A quick glance around the room told me that I wasn't alone, and of the guests I could see only a handful that actually managed to weather the storm that was Lucifer's suffocating presence. "But in situations like this, I think focusing on the present would be best. As much as I would love to turn the boy into a bloody smear right now, I need information only he can provide."

"You're much too serious, Riser. This is just a little event I prepared for the occasion." Like an elder brother would, the most powerful devil laid a gentle hand on my shoulder with a smile that would break a girl's heart. I dared not trust the sincerity in that smile, he was after my blood after all. "I wanted to see the Dragon in combat for myself, so I had Grayfia make arrangements. Of course, I would have seen it during the Rating Game but..."

"Yes, yes, I understand." I waved him off as respectfully as possible, he trailed off so I didn't exactly interrupt him while he spoke. "My parents and brothers have sufficiently chided me on the ethics of these games and therefore I can promise not to make the same mistake twice."

Weird but true; I came out of that fake dimension expecting praise and accolades but what I was welcomed with was the exact opposite. Personally, I thought that ending it the way I did would be the final nail in the coffin, but if anything, it simply served as the crowbar that pried that coffin wide open.

It always confused me back then; no matter how much I tried looking at it from a logical perspective, I couldn't understand the motivation behind Riser giving Rias a handicap when he could have easily capitalized on Issei's idiocy. He was confident, sure, but what Issei did was give him every right to carry on with his previous threat and burn through her peerage. If the game pushed through despite that, then it would have been an easy victory, and if it didn't then they would have been engaged formally in no time.

No fuss, no mess, no problem.

But he didn't capitalize on that.

It was only recently that I figured out why: Riser didn't give a handicap because he was feeling generous or confident, he did it because he was expected too. I would have brushed it off at first glance, but the Sitri case was there to confirm what I suspected.

Sona's opponent for the match was on par with a grandmaster of grandmasters; the type of person to be able to play with a dozen at a time and win at least ten games if not all of them.

As the men, if ever the women try to play for their freedom, we're expected to hold back.

Surprise, surprise,apparently Devils didn't like curbstomps as much as I thought they did.

But enough of that for now, I have to focus on the Lucifer before me.

"I'm glad you understand, Riser, and of course this would give you an opportunity to truly prove your strength against a worthy opponent." He seemed proud, twisted duping delight no doubt, and turned to the other half of his plan. "Dragon, you have been granted permission to fight, so in the spirit of this occasion, what do you wish to receive when you win?"

"Hold on just a moment, Sirzechs-sama." Before any other noble in the room could raise their voice in protest, I decided to make the first move. "I know that this allows me to redeem myself from my admittedly shameful behavior, but will you really grant him your sister's virginity?"

And if any set of words could bring the conversation to a halt, it was that.

For a moment, I caught a glimpse of the killer hiding within the smile of the most powerful satan, the void eternal that hid beneath the thin veneer of human flesh he wore whenever he wasn't trying to wreck anything and everything around him, and please don't blame me for being utterly terrified. I could swear that the icy glints on his face, the portals to oblivion that were his eyes blinked the rage away in a moment as he reigned in his anger, that particular statement fomenting rage in him before he suppressed it with his will.

Everyone in the room noticed the sudden change, some of the weaker attendees spluttering as they fell to their knees, but in the monarch's anger, no one decided to speak a word against him.

No one was stupid enough to antagonize Lucifer on a warpath, even if he was struggling to get off that warpath...

Wait...

He wore a slight smile even in his rage, and at first I thought it was the cracking mask but on closer inspection, it looked more like...

"No, I will win Buchou's heart with my own merits." It was when Issei said the word 'merit' that I came the the truth. Son of a bitch, they played me: Grayfia must have given him some speech tips to make sure any argument I presented fell flat and the fight would still commence. "All I ask is that you give Buchou back to us."

I turn in time to see his trickster smile widen even more as he saw my realization of what he had done. "Very well, if you win then you make take Rias with you."

"Thank you, Lucifer-sama." The boy bowed respectfully before facing me, Lucifer himself retreating to the place prepared to grab the best seats in the house.

In short order, the portal was once again opened, and in the battlefield Sirzechs himself prepared I stared down the Red Dragon Emperor seriously for the very last time.

Now normally this was time for some pre battle banter, but since I was feeling nice I thought it would best to give him some fair warning. "Do you want to make a speech first or should I?" I asked with an extremely serious expression, despite the joking tone in my voice.

We were in a totally new dimension but I could swear I heard at least my two older brothers face-faulting.

Hehe, funny.

Seeing as he didn't even know what I was talking about, I decided to continue for him. "Alright, that means you forfeit your turn. This fight is simply for entertainment purposes, and seeing as I was scolded for what I did to my fiancee last time, I will be merciful despite the high stakes." I flashed him a cocky smile before wings of fire materialized on my back, the white tuxedo I was wearing unaffected by the billowing flames of hellfire. "The rules are same as Rating Game rules, so long as you don't break those, neither will I. I would also like this to be a Mercy Match, that is to say that the victor of the battle decides when the battle ends, either in true death or simple incapacitation. Is that alright with you, child?"

"It doesn't matter." He waved off my words with false bravado as he face the image of his King. "Buchou. I will finish this in 10 seconds."

"Well if you're ignoring me then I guess I have to play the villain who talks too much." I exaggerate my lament before facing the boy with a renewed smile and a grandstanding air. "You mean ten seconds because that's the longest you can use your trump card, right? Thanks for the clue, since now I know that as long as I wait you out for ten seconds I win. Why don't you go ahead and promote, child, it's your only chance."

"Promotion: Queen!" He yelled, looking at my face with a glare before running towards me with vengeance in his eyes. This time, I decided against taking to the air for the moment so that it wouldn't look so stupid that he was running at me. "Buchou, I-"

He looks away like an idiot and I just sigh.

Running towards an opponent and talking to another person, well I couldn't change how stupid that looked so I highlighted it by interrupting him in the best way possible.

He hadn't taken more than five steps when the wings of fire on my back transformed into something so much more useful. Billowing flames spanning a bit taller than myself expanded in a heartbeat into pillars which stretched towards the end of the battlefield behind me; even larger than the distance separating Issei from me. With wind guiding the flames and coating my form, wings became pillars and pillars transformed into thrusters hurling me towards the boy who charged without a plan.

He managed to say two words before my fist met his stomach, a little bit of creative magic application forced all the power of my dash into his body before throwing him into one of the stone pillars faster than I could say 'hit'.

Like a ball flying out of a pitcher's hand, Issei hurtled towards the pillar at breakneck speeds, because the whiplash of either impact was more than enough to break the boy's neck. I watched with satisfaction slowing time for a bit, allowing me the pleasure of watching his body crumple as it struck hard stone, and then watching the stone give way as the body that struck the pillar bulldozed through the crafted construct.

Looking down at my fist, I clenched my hand repeatedly to ease the slight ache I felt in my knuckles. Apparently I hadn't placed enough magic into the spell to completely negate the force that struck me, but what I felt in my hand was nothing compared to being thrown into and subsequently through a stone tower a split second after the battle started.

No fancy magic, no all killing blow, just one powerful punch and I had an inkling that the boy was already down for the count.

Well, maybe not, since a Queens Fortitude did wonders to increase endurance and durability.

"You going to actually do anything yet, or will I have to punch you again?" I drawled out disinterestedly, blowing air over my own knuckles as I watched the battered boy rise out of the rubble. "I'm sure a bit more than three seconds passed while you relaxed inside that pile of dust, I thought you would beat me in ten? Where is the power you promised, boy?"

"Shut up!" There was rage and desperation in his eyes as he held his left arm close to his chest, a sort of urgency within him as well as a thirst for vengeance over his first humiliation following as he yelled out these words. "Shine! Over Boost!"

Just as described in the novels, the jewel covered him in crimson light, and in a heartbeat he was dressed in the Crimson Armor of the Red Dragon Emperor. I admit that it was magnificent to behold, and the power around him quickly rose to match my own, but I still had power hidden away as he brought torrents of demonic energy forth. The power of this armor was that it truly did break the balance, and that if left alone, he would have power surpassing my own at my current peak and from what the beast told him, I assumed that the confidence he displayed was thanks to the power he would eventually wield.

"This is the power of the Emperor of Dragons! The Balance Breaker, Boosted Gear Scale Mail!" He roared with victory as the power he was excluding once more increased an entire order of magnitude instead of merely doubling, and continued to rise. With his power, so too did his confidence rise as well as his delusion that he would be able to take my fiancee away. "If you want to stop me, go and ask Maou-sama! After all, it seems like this is the The Hated Forbidden Technique! This fight is over, Riser Phenex, so take this and burn you shitty yakitori!."

The boy had enough power to eventually surpass my best efforts, and he knew it.

In a drawn out fight, he might snatch victory, but in ten seconds?

I think not.

Still, his power was a sight to marvel at, and I couldn't help but feel a strange excitement as he mustered his ever growing power between his hands and gave birth to a second sun. Fire beyond what I had previously attempted to control materialized between armored talons as bright light painted the battlefield in a fierce orange glow and long trailing shadows. I watched with fascination as he cocked his hand back and tossed the sun at me with all the might of an artillery round, the sphere of all-consuming flame itself growing as it latched onto wisps of his power while it streaked through the air like a meteor, with the size to match.

In the novels, it was said to have grown to half the reception hall in size, and I could see that was no exaggeration on the boy's part.

Perfect.

I smiled as my hand moved to intercept the steadily growing sun as it hastened its approach, the heat kissing my skin almost lovingly as it came ever closer with unstoppable speed. I made no concerted effort to stop the meteoric star when it was finally within reach, but my hand did brush the very edge of the explosive sphere as it passed and flames that were supposed to be powerful enough to burn even someone of my standing simply licked at my hand like pup would its master.

Immediately, the orb halted, and soon began to shrink as it increased its intensity under my influence, allowing me to see the trench it dug as it approached me, as well as the surprised face of the boy when my enhanced eyes finally adjusted to the light of the newborn star in my hand. If he was shocked at the initial appearance of the his own attack, then most definitely he would be surprised at my action, catching and altogether strengthening the 'Dragon Shot' he fired at me: if his own power produced a flame to approximate the sun, mine birthed a pale blue fire that burned with such power, I could actually feel the trickle of energy as the orb sapped my strength.

"Is this all? I have to say I'm quite disappointing in you, Dragon,To think that I could form flames hotter than yours." My hand raised the flaming sphere above my head as I unleashed the strength of the blue flame; the small ball formed of blue flame erupting into a massive firestorm which bathed the entire arena in azure. "Let's see if you can survive something like this, shall we?"

Such a display would be pointless most of the time, like the flashes that occur during teleportation, but the power of the flames born of both Ddraig and myself were different, the blue maelstrom ate through everything in its path as it crashed against the stone pillars and empty stands of this dimension. Through the aura I had spread across the battlefield I could see how the stone gave way to the extreme heat, the rocky ground pooling into magma in its presence while the mighty effigies in the form of chess pieces melted, eventually burning away in the face of such scathing heat.

With a gesture, the veritable ocean of flame once more condensed into a small ball as the raging heat disappeared into the ball like a blanket being folded and quickly put away. The landscape had drastically changed, from an ornate arena to a pit akin to the cooling crater of an inactive volcano than a normal battleground. I barely paid it any mind though, most of my attention focused on the one fact that was of interest regarding the surrounding area.

There was no Dragon among the ruins.

"I said this was entertainment, but it is still a fight, you know?" I directed my voice and my eyes upwards just in time to catch Issei's fist slam into the barrier I had prepared, his own gauntlet clad fist not even scratching the barrier's invisible surface despite the fact that he had his jet pack and gravity assisting him. "Even I know how to look-"

I couldn't finish the rest of my sentence as his left fist impacted the barrier with startling strength, a boost ringing loud and clear just as his holy arm shattered the entire barrier and forced me to take quite a large step back just to avoid the blow and the aftershock. With the power of his own thrusters coupled by the holy might of his arm, the barrier crumpled and once his arm went through and slammed into the ground, I could see just how much stronger he had grown in the small amount of time we'd been fighting.

So the holy arm was already Boosted to that extent, huh? I could deal with that, no problem but I needed to be able to justify my next action, and that would require trading blows with the boy.

He still couldn't end me in one strike just yet, but if that blow ever connected then I wouldn't come out unscathed.

"I will have to concede that you have gotten stronger, but then again, an ant with the strength of a hundred ants is still an an ant." The blue fire hovered around me like a wisp or fairy as I prepared my next attack. The ball began to glow brightly once more, hopefully blinding the boy as individual flames separated from the primary source, before forming arrows ready to dig into his flesh. "You have a good one-two punch, but how's your footwork?"

I gestured and the arrows rained down like a monsoon of blue fire, tens of thousands splitting from the orb before they all came at once from different directions to ensure that, even though the boy was fast, there was no escape for him. With unrestrained giddiness I watched as the boy was battered now with my assault, the arrows striking him as if they were solid objects, piercing through his form, armor be damned. I laughed as I heard him scream in such pain that I felt sympathetic goosebumps rising on my own skin and I sneered at his burning form as blood gushed from the hole where his mouth should be before immediately taking to the air as sulfuric vapor filled the hellish pit I had caused with my fire.

"Your armor is strong, child, but nowhere near invulnerable." I teased from afar as the onslaught of fire finally ceased, the blue fire I had create from his own dragon flames spent creating those arrows. "Your resilience is admirable as well, most would have given up after taking such punishment, and yet you kneel before me defiant. I never thought I would see someone slumped in pain and exhaustion, yet so determined. For that you have my congratulations. Still, I'm sure you would agree that this battle has gone on long enough, and we need to end it to get on with the ceremony. Good entertainment or not, this still isn't the main event."

Rias's engagement to me was all the motivation he needed and I had to up my reaction time by an entire order of magnitude to see the fires on his back before the armored form of a Dragon began to hurtle towards me with a left fist outstretched.

Time once more came close to a standstill, and I had microseconds to spare as I waited for the strike to approach me.

Once upon a time, this would be the turning point for everything; the beginning of the end for Riser Phenex.

This one injury, which would take days to recover from physically and months to move on from, would throw him from his lofty second place seat, heir apparent to Bael's king, all the way to below a draconic pervert.

This would be the start of the slippery slope down to madness and cowardice, which would force dear Ravel to the pervert's side while Riser would waste away, throwing all he had down the drain.

Rias would be happy and Issei would share his first kiss with his King. Everyone wins on the side of the 'Protagonists' while Riser's family is left in shame, losing both a son and daughter while his brothers would both shy away from the limelight. The crazy thing was, it looked like his father and mother reacted so violently that they went from doting parents to apathetic bystanders and at the end of it all, neither of them seemed to care about their youngest son: Lord Phenex would say that losing the engagement was alright if it taught him humility and Lady Phenex would encourage Ravel to enter the boy's harem later on, maybe even as his bishop after he passes the promotion tests.

That was the future for canon Riser, and it would be mine as soon if I land this blow on the boy and he, in turn, connects with his attack.

I crushed that future utterly with my own hands as I caught the mighty blow with one of my own, the exchange leaving us in the middle of the battlefield as I stared down into the boy's shocked mask with a maniac's grin.

A beat passed...

Then two...

Soon three...

In his shock, he allowed me to just stand there and hold his hand for three seconds as despair finally took root in his heart and all hope fled from his form. He just watched in escalating fear as my hand seemed to grip his even tighter as flames lapped away at my evaporating skin, my regenerative powers struggling to keep up with the holy damage being done even as the power of the cross continued to ascend to ridiculous heights.

I would believe anyone who said the smile I wore was worse than that of the Devil himself as I sang so sweetly that one would think that I was talking to a loved one or my very own son.

"I warned you..." I shook my head in mock disappointment, the pain never reaching me due to an enchantment I placed upon myself at the beginning of the match.

My training was hard, suicidal some would say, so it stood to reason that I would develop an enchantment to completely ignore pain.

They say that the way to break a Phenex was through his mind, well not anymore.

"I warned you and you didn't listen."

* * *

"Moth-" He looked to his left, and immediately started regretting his choice of words.

He tried again.

"That Ba-" He looked to his right and once more reconsidered.

That was fine, there were still many more.

"Fu-" The entire family across from them looked at him weirdly. That didn't work either, so he had to end up going with the last one.

"Rye is crazy!" Revive finally settled on that with a confident nod, trying his best to ignore the strange looks his mother, his father, and the entirety of his soon-to-be-in-law's family were sending him before settling back into his seat. Still, the worry in his eyes was disquieting as he spoke urgently to his brother beside him. "Ready everything you have, Ru-nii, we might have to bail the idiot out this time."

"Is he seriously going to use _that_ now, against that Monster of all things?" He tried to mutter the last words under his breath, though an eldest brother's ear would not be denied.

"Revive, this is not the time for your dramatics." Ruval's tone brooked no argument as he chided his little brother. "Just be quiet and watch the fight. We can mock that piece of toast of his idiocy as much as we want later when it's all over. We are not interfering in this battle." Good thing that the eldest brother thought nothing of it, though he snuck in snide remark of his own.

"And what would warrant interference, Revive?" Sirzechs raised a curious eyebrow as he calmly regarded the second son of the House of Phenex. "I'm sure that there's no need to worry if you fear for your little brother. I'm sure that the Crimson Dragon Emperor wouldn't dare end his life when he is surrounded by so many friends and family. I'm sure even he suspects that killing will not be tolerated this night."

"Issei wouldn't do that-" Rias quickly came to her pawn's defense, but was interrupted as the hysterical second son flared his power.

"I'm not worried about your pawn harming him, little girl" His tone was harsh, but though the presence of Lucifer rushed forth once more, he made no move to stop. "It's the Dragon I'm afraid of."

"You had better have a good explanation for this, Phenex." Sirzechs growled as he came to his sister's side, his own power ready to crush the younger man at any moment's notice. "I am no longer part of the House of Gremory, but if you dare disrespect my family in my presence without good reason then there will be a reckoning."

"Explain yourself, Revive." The Lord of the Phenex Household requested sternly while the Lady looked to her son with barely reigned worry.

"I will need the Word of House Gremory that they revoke their right to stop the match."

"And allow your _brother,_ " Rias spat the word out like it was the most vicious insult she could think of. "To kill my pawn? Never!"

"Provided that my daughter's pawn lives you have my word that we will not force the match to stop, but there will be consequences if he is slain." Lord Gremory spoke with a sense of finality as he turned a stony gaze towards his daughter. As she gave her approval of the terms, he once more stared down the second most troublesome son of one of his best friends. "Now out with it, Revive, before all of us start losing our patience."

The second son took a breath, and all pretense of whimsy and drama was lost.

"He told me that he always wanted to converse with a dragon." The boy shook his head with all the exasperation of a boy who was helpless to watch his brother do something life-threateningly stupid. "I always thought it was a joke, but now I think he meant it."

Lord Phenex's eyes widened with realization, but before anyone in the small lounge could ask him what he knew, the youngest son of the Phenex spoke through magic from an entire dimension away.

{Now it's time to live with the consequences.}

The voice of the youngest son was so sweet and gentle, which seemed to catch everyone by surprise just as much as the flash of light when a spell normally forbidden took effect.

Teleportation was prohibited in Rating Games, everyone in the room knew this and still they watched as a magic circle burst to life to bring out something closely resembling the symbol of their greatest enemy.

"What have you done?" Both Lady Phenex and Lady Gremory looked at Sirzechs with appalled surprise as the Gremory's eldest son in all but name seemed to realize his mistake.

Rias's face paled just as much as her brother's when she realized what her fiancé had summoned, just in time to watch Riser take the fist of her pawn and slam it into the heart of the massive magical array forced into the form of a cross.

"I don't know where he found that but there's nothing to worry about." She started speaking quickly as her eyes remained transfixed to the screen. "He shouldn't be able to-"

Then Issei began screaming.

It was a horrible sound, a cross between a dragon's roar and a child's desperate call for help, both feral and broken, desolate and heartbreaking as it rang in the ears of all present. He screamed out as pain overtook him, his own body refusing to move as he fell to his knees and tore his throat with an endless bellow. A sharp contrast to Riser who shook with childish excitement, uncaring that his hand began to melt and sizzle as he held the dull gauntlet against the scintillating cross; the magical array brought to life now that everything necessary to activate it was present and magic breathed power into its veins.

"How?" She asked breathlessly as she fell on her knees, not caring as her beautiful dress was ruined with dirt.

Strangely enough, the answer came from the dimension of battle.

{Rias didn't brief you on the rules for Rating Games, did she? If she did we wouldn't be in this situation. Or perhaps not, maybe you were just too desperate, I'll never know.} He was calm when he spoke, though his voice boomed as magic fueled it's mighty sound allowing it to rise enough to be heard over Issei, who wailed as his red draconic armor began to crack and crumble away. {I did warn you about cheating, but if you're so determined to win at any cost then I think it's fine for me to do the same. For what it's worth, you have my respect for having the courage to bring a holy object into a Rating Game, as well as my thanks.}

"Holy object?" Lady Phenex whispered hysterically as she watched the scene with growing terror. "My son is holding on to a Holy Object? My baby boy is battling an opponent armed with the equivalent of a Holy Sword?"

"Sirzechs. How could you?" Lady Gremory's voice was weak as her eyes shifted from the Lady Phenex to her own son, disappointment in her eyes. "You might get them both killed."

{I told you a few minutes back that I took up reading a bit of history, right? In my reading I came across a technique that I found interesting when searching a few of the records open to me, do you want to know what it is?} He smiled sadistically at the kneeling boy, his free hand reaching down and brushing his helmet. {It was a spell that allowed for the creation of Sacred Gears, their extraction, and their insertion. It wasn't easy to get my hands on, let me tell you, but in the end since people thought it was just a piece of worthless information, or a warning when dealing with the fallen, not to mention it was a spell we can't replicate, so it was basically free for anyone with enough interest. A little more time and I will be able to prove them wrong.}

Riser's smile only widened when the helmet crumbled away in a cloud of red dust, the small particles drifting towards the glowing cross as the rest of his armor continued to deteriorate.

"Stop the match, please!" Rias practically begged her brother, tears falling from her own eyes as she threw herself against the Demon Lord. "I don't care what happens, just please end it, Onii-sama. I'll get married to Riser. I'll come back to the Underworld. He can do anything he wants with me, just don't let him kill my precious servant!"

Lucifer himself looked to his father imploringly, but it was with a heavy heart that he shook his head in the face of his sister's pleading request. The father came to his daughter and embraced her even while she clung to her brother, gently prying the girl off of the son he had lost and comforted her as she wept. His voice was pained as he spoke to his youngest, the princess of the Gremory Family, and his eyes were closed as he shared in her pain.

"I have given our word as the Head of the Gremory Family that we will not ask for the match to end." He was sorrowful when he spoke, rubbing small circles in his youngest's back as she wept on his chest. "I'm afraid that there is very little we can do in this situation aside from retaliate, but even then I don't know how that would paint us."

"We are good friends, are we not, Philemon?" The Lord of Gremory asked the Lord of Phenex even as he held her daughter tightly. "Will you give us this mercy?"

"With all due respect, Gremory-sama." It was Ruval who replied, not as the son of one of his best friends and his own honorary nephew, but as the heir of the Phenex Family. "This is a large enough mess as it is with Sirzechs-sama as regulator, I don't think anyone could have called the match to end in the first place." He faced his old friend and one time commander during the Great War. "My friend, even if Revive did not secure Zeoticus-ojiisama's permission, to stop the match before its conclusion would brand you as weak and foolish, and with where the balance of power is now, you can't have either on your name."

There was no apology though, the eldest son of the Phenex family was regal and composed as he said his piece without a hint of emotional attachment.

No, drama always came best from the second son.

"And with all due respect, Lucifer-sama," Revive looked the Satan in the eye with all the protectiveness an older brother should have. "You brought this on yourself the moment you pitted my brother against a Holy Dragon."

{Of course, at first glance it seems too good to be true for a technique found in the General Section of the archives, and that's because it's more more a recorded technique than a teachable one. Apparently, the closest anyone has gotten to using it since YHWH Himself was Azazel, but even then it was incapable of Sacred Gear Creation.} Riser explained with all the patience of a teacher, the armor completely gone by now, leaving only the gauntlet he held against the cross remaining of the once magnificent Scale Mail. {To do one of the three, I needed a special array that Azazel used himself, enough power to activate it, and a Holy Artifact powerful enough to make it work. I was a bit skeptical when Sirzechs-sama said that this would be entertainment, which is why I proposed Rating Game rules, so that there would be no real risk to either of us, but since for some reason Sirzechs-sama allowed that in, I thought I should try my hand as well.}

"The role of the regulator is to make sure things like this don't happen. They are supposed to provide enough jamming power that Teleportation won't be possible without tremendous cost, and ensure that Holy Objects aren't allowed on the battlefield in the first place. They prepare to activate the barriers around the participants so death becomes statistically impossible and they run their own teleportation array so that everyone can be whisked away should the need arise." Revive continued with righteous anger in his eyes as he stared down the Crimson Satan. "They don't just form a pocket dimension and run observation spells, and don't think for a second that we'll buy any 'I couldn't sense it' excuse. This is blatant attempted murder, Sirzechs, or extrajudicial execution in your case. Why let it go so far?" There was no trace of emotion on the second son's face,

Sirzechs looked like he would have replied if not for the disappointed stare at his back. He turned from the younger brother of one of his best subordinates as he faced the greatest threat in the room... and he cowed.

The great warrior was no longer, and in his place was the young boy who grew under the watchful eye of the Matriarch of Flame. The same one who cared for him when his own mother could not now rose against him, and for once it looked like he had no words for the mother he had known since childhood.

"Why, Sirzechs?" The Lady of the Phenex family did nothing to restrain her anger as she spoke in a deathly level tone. All in the room could see that she was seething with the protective rage a mother would only display towards a threat to her son. She was so enraged that she didn't even bother to try and speak as if she was conversing with the most powerful demon in the land. "I know you might not approve of my son, but to go as far as attempting to kill him in response to his victory in a contingency you arranged yourself? We would have honored your opinion if you spoke to us about your disapproval, so then why propose a plan when you have been against the arrangement to begin with? If you were going to dishonor your family and yourself at the end of the day, if you fully intended to cut all ties between us, why did you have to try to be discrete about it?"

"Lasairiona please," Lady Gremory spoke to calm one of her oldest friends as she glided across the floor to lay a hand on the furious mother. "I'm sure that he never had that in mind when he arranged all this-"

"Venelana, I love you like a sister in the same way I love Zeoticus like a brother. I've always admired the way you two can love your servants the way you love members of your own family, but try to understand how I'm feeling." The way the Lady of the Phenex family could jump from total calm to completely enraged was always famous in the Underworld, hand in hand with her record of having the longest courting period of any man or woman. She didn't care that she was picking a fight with Lucifer himself. "A boy I knew, the nephew I cared for when he was a child just tried to murder my son. Family or not, how would you feel if you find that one of your precious servants tried to kill your baby boy?"

"I believe you were first at the scene when a fallen found its way to Sirzechs cradle..."

The Lady of Gremory replied regretfully as she remembered how her friend _personally dismembered_ the fallen assassin that came for her son.

 _Without the aid of magic._

She shook her head as she tried to comprehend the betrayal the woman must be feeling. "You did us a great service that day, and this is how we repay you. My son, I know your intentions were noble, and your heart has always been with your sister, but now..."

"And you know what's the funniest part?" Lady Phenex asked with a bitter laugh as a small fire materialized in her hand and formed a piece parchment. With a pained smile, she handed the scroll to the boy she once loved like her own nephew. "If you ever cared for me before, Sirzechs, you would read this out loud. Know the truth behind the boy you tried to kill."

The wife of the boy took over when the child didn't even make an effort to reach for the parchment in his shock. The Strongest Queen's eyes widened as she read through the document, and the Matriarch of the Phenex capitalized on that opening.

"The second to the last paragraph please, Grayfia."

"Yes milady," She gave a shaking nod before calming herself, and speaking with a clear voice.

"...Though this night we declare our intent to marry, I only wish for my beloved Rias to promise me this time that I may properly court her. All I want from her is a promise that, in the time before our marriage, she may give me the chance to prove to be a man worthy to stand by her side for eternity or until death pull us apart. I understand that we are at peace and enjoy privileges our fathers, mothers, and siblings never had, and so I want us both to savor this chance to let our love grow until such a time that she is free from her earthly responsibilities and educated enough to properly make a choice. Should she graduate from University and still refuse me, I will understand and in my love for her, I will free her from her family's promise to mine..."

"The greatest joke of all, is that despite all this resistance," Revive spoke with a slightly amused tone, though mocking barbs lined his tongue as he spat venom. "He still loved you, Rias. I never thought I would ever side with him in this, but this could be the first time that it's the lady that doesn't deserve my brother and not the other way around."

No one thought it wise to speak after that.

"What a disaster." Lord Phenex shook his head as he looked at the mess that they had found themselves in, before glancing towards the battlefield. "It looks like the shows finally over."

All eyes returned to the display and everyone fell silent.

The awful screaming had finally ceased, but the battered boy could barely keep himself upright even as he knelt before Riser, who held an orb of emerald and power in his hand. Issei didn't sport any additional bodily injuries but one could tell with a glance that he was at his limit. His expression showed determination but while his spirit was willing his body couldn't even look his opponent in the eye. Both arms dangled uselessly, his back bowed in defeat and his expression totally downcast, as Riser stood over him, his expression tranquil in victory.

{Are you still alive, Dragon?} Riser asked cordially as he regarded the orb in his hand glowing the same shade as his opponent's now vanished armor and showed no sign of fatigue or harm, the stance of an executioner calmly assessing his victim. {Why don't you give up and end this charade?}

{I... can't.} He mumbled in his weakness. It was admirable that he could even speak when looking his opponent in the eye was all but impossible now.

{Why?}

{I... have to...} Somehow, they all could make out a smile on his face as he whispered defiance at the Phenex. {She... saved me... once... I...}

{Have to save her too?} The Phenex nodded in understanding as the boy finally managed the strength to jerk his head up and look into crystal blue eyes. The Phenex gently smiled at the Dragon before idly reaching into his pocket, understanding and yet confusion battle within his expression. {Though from what I wonder? I certainly hope that you don't think you have to to save her from me?}

{You... made her... cry.} The Dragon was angered for his princess' sake, a thought that would have touched the hearts of the Phenex Family if the situation was any different, if the boy wasn't the tool that could have ended their youngest boy, their own little prince. {Asia... said that... she... cried... for us. It was... your fault.} He gasped out as his own hand reached into his pocket.

{Stop.} It was a command, not a request as the Phenex frowned. {You so much as twitch, and I'm crushing that bottle in your pants. I don't really know about the rest of the crowd but I have already tired of your screaming and I'm sure that Holy Water would hurt, especially down there.}

{How...}

{Your bishop was a nun, and devils pushed into a corner tend to do stupid things.} The Phenex explained with a shrug. {If you would boost a cross after selling your arm to the dragon, then you might have something like Holy Water in case things get too hot. I simply prepared accordingly, though if you did nothing then you wouldn't be in this position.}

{I see... so I never... really had a chance?} Rias could see the tears as they came down her pawn's face, despair finally taking hold as his defeat sunk in.

There was no mistaking it: this was definitely checkmate once again.

{No, you never really did have a chance to defeat me, but that's alright.}

Then the unthinkable happened...

A hand was lowed, and for the tears of the Dragon, the Phenex offered his own.

{Good Game and Well Played, Hyoudou Issei. Now come on, we still have a party to get to. The Game is over.}

{No... It's not-}

Whatever he had to say was lost as his face met the ground.

* * *

Longest Chapter Ever.

Two weeks, or was it three? Well, that's because I didn't know where to cut it and the entire thing just ended up being a long dragged out mess.

Sorry for any typo's really I'm trying hard to find a beta. =((

I don't know if this is my best work or my worst, so I'll have you guys tell me =))

Don't worry kids, I won't be making a habit of this, especially since dyslexia takes a bigger toll the longer the chapters. Still looking for a beta, so any interested could send me a pm and stuff. A lot of things changed from canon here, like some added background as well as well as the actual progression of the fight and stuff like that. I decided to end with 3rd person just to see your reactions, maybe for every climax I'll do something like that just so everything isn't always seen in the perspective of SI Riser and stuff.

Tell me what you guys think and all that, and the next chapter would end this one, as well as be the interlude/epilogue most of you want. After next chapter though, I would have to take a break (don't know how long) to reread all the DXD novels so I know what to change, edit, exploit, and outright remove.

Reviews are most welcome, especially this one since its the most different/longest/probably the worst one done. I'll gladly reply to any PM, just please don't sent me two of them with the exact same content/question.

Oh and quick Riser Power Guide for all you interested (It adds a whole lot of words but whatever)... Next time. Sorry but this chapter is way too long already. =((

See you all next time, maybe.

Edit: I have a beta now, and here's the improved version of 7. Enjoy, and remember to thank Vhostym if you guys have a chance.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: ...If You Lost it All, And You Lost it, We Will Still be There When the War is Over...

* * *

This was supposed to be fun.

The ceremony was over and all of the guests have taken their leave when I began the brisk walk back to my study. The corridor itself was well lit but devoid of any activity as I walked by, a stark contrast to the earlier hustle and bustle this section of the house contained as servants prepared for the ceremony, and the subsequent party which would take place in the large hall we have prepared.

The hall itself was no longer a public area in the Underworld but an extension of my own palace. This allowed me a bit more freedom to coordinate the guards, or lack thereof, and the magical defenses in place around the estate. That was part of the reason I had to convince Francis and his men to stand down, this was my current dwelling and he was committed to defending it until such a time that I moved back into the Main House.

It was the perfect stage to commit a crime.

Many intricate details were required to allow me to perform such a deception; from stealing the Cross Raynare used on Issei when I asked my Rooks to go on Infiltration Runs, subtle visits to my Fianceé and her Peerage whenever I found the time, and even submitting a copy of this night's speech to my mother just to make the discovery of Sirzechs' betrayal all the more painful as well as my own ruthless actions justifiable.

These actions all worked in concert to reach this point; from the moment I began to taunt Rias, to the moment I offered Issei a vial of Phoenix Tears.

The engagement between Rias and I was simply bait from the start, a very convenient lure considering our families' relationship, all to make sure that I could encounter her entire Peerage, from The Bearer of Twilight Healing to The Priestess of Thunder.

From there, even before it was decided that the Rating Game would take place, it was a simple matter to secure victory. Even if my Peerage lacked the growth rate hers boasted, Rias's Peerage's growth over less than two weeks of intensive training would always be inferior to my Peerage's growth over two months. I broke their muscles down, and then rebuilt them from the ground up. All to strengthen them for the battle to come, so that there would be no doubt that when they met their enemies on the battlefield of the Rating Game, they were the superior.

When the day arrived, I could say that I had never been prouder of my girls. We all held back and still won handily.

The final battle itself was not a battle, but a drama ending with a crippling blow to the boy and rendering him unable to use his Sacred Gear.

Everything went quite according to plan and the ceremony ended with graceful whimper rather than a celebratory bang as the relationship between the two families were strained to the breaking point. That was fine, our parents' friendship as well as that of our older brothers' would heal in time.

Her Peerage rushed to the side of the pawn who refused to wake and Rias herself followed as soon as the ceremony ended, skipping the party in our honor to be at his side when he wakes up. That was fine, since I honestly had no idea if or when the boy would wake and I would very much rather deal with a Peerage beside itself with grief than one consumed with anger.

Finally, I had part of the Sacred Gear that gave the boy so much power.

I had a smile on my face as I stopped in the middle of the empty corridor to reach into my coat pockets and retrieve the object that caused me so much trouble to obtain.

Hello, Fount of Knowledge; the Beginning of my new Eternity.

Even in the bright torchlight, the gem that had to surpass the purest emerald shined like the prized jewel in an emperor's treasury. The orb held the power I needed to surpass any in my way, and though it was not active at the moment, I knew that give enough time I could make it into the weapon able to slay anything.

The orb represented my hope for surviving in this demented world and with guile and power I had purchased it to ensure than I would go unchallenged when the greater threats finally make themselves known. Though, this little thing isn't a weapon as much as it is a library.

Imagine my surprise then when that hope, the bright fiery orb I held in my hand, vanished in a blast of flame that almost surpassed the greatest inferno I have ever created.

My plan may have worked, but I had forgotten that the orb itself was a crystallized representation of one of those greater threats. Maybe in terms of strength it was hardly the most frightening foe I would face, but as of now it was one I was unprepared to confront.

Self preservation stifled any trace of disappointment as my own magic came forth as a cocoon of flame, sending heat against heat and fighting fire with fire as my defense burned against an onslaught of flame. There was no mistaking power behind the attack, and though the sheer power of the flames could have easily melted away granite with the corona of its blaze, it had the same quality as the flames produced whenever I would teleport.

This wasn't an attack at all, just a show of power; and what a show it was.

The cocoon of fire faded away as I changed tactics, and in the place of the scathing heat came furious winds that shifted the power away instead of challenging it outright. Through this sphere of wind, a shield that had proved reliable against the blades of the fallen and the scales of a dragon, I could see into the heart of the inferno; a world made entirely of blistering flame. As far as my eyes could see there was fire, a conflagration so large and intense that the very world had been consumed by what looked to be a familiar enough sight. This world of burning gas was breathtakingly beautiful, filled with shifting curtains of shimmering light and trails of opalesque radiance, and through the beauty of its ever-shifting flares I could see its identity.

The blaze had a star-like quality to it, gracing my eyes with color that would put rainbows to shame, but the power that fueled the conflagration was distinct.

There was only one flame that burned with every color after all.

He spoke soon after I realized where I was, and what I had just done.

[I know not whether your actions stem from bravery or stupidity, Phenex] He all but roared as I beheld the massive form in all his glory for the very first time. [But before I teach you a lesson in humility, I'm intrigued. You orchestrated such a drama, just to waste it away in one moment of folly?]

And before I had the time to make a conscious decision I felt my magic surge and time stopped. Now I had time to think, and my first thought was simply: he was massive.

Hehe, that's what she said… wait no, there's no time for that!

Sure I could speak at length about his majesty and dignity, his power and splendor, his stifling presence despite the awe inspiring sight that was his regal form, basic dragon stuff really; but the very first thing that entered my mind was his size.

They had said that the Great Red was just over two hundred meters long, and I could get a good read on that distance as being about the length of two track ovals; and the Two Heavenly Dragons were supposedly smaller.

My attacks, well the Kancho in particular, had a range of about just under five kilometers before I lose control and the construct explodes. It always left some evidence as it traveled, a thick rainbow line that showed where space tore apart, revealing the dimensional gap, so I had some measure as to how long five kilometers were, but a line and a dragon were two different things altogether.

There was a strange, ominous, way the dragon loomed over me, such that even if I'd seen things much larger than the great beast, it certainly didn't feel that way. After all, even a tear in the fabric of spacetime itself could never look as if it was about to eat you.

He was a western dragon, and as much as one could say about a dragon before them, his size was what struck me the most. His limbs were massive pillars of muscle wrapped in armored scale, each telling of the strength to move mountains and level countries with the might hidden within. His body was a wide and armored breastplate, no weakness apparent to my sight despite the usual rumors of an exposed belly or armpit in a dragon's physiology. His long neck was almost like a limb onto itself, the segmented scales protecting it reminiscent of a saw while his tail was a whip covered in small scales meant to shred rather than crush and cut rather than bludgeon. His pinions were massive sails of sheet metal, huge hollow constructs of bone and where thin and delicate membrane should be, there spanned wide networks of scales weaving an armored tapestry that could challenge any sword.

This was one half of the scourge of every battlefield and one of two that ultimately brought the Eternal War to its untimely end.

Okay, calm down for a moment. First I need to know what he wants.

As time began to move normally once more and when he spoke, the very dimension of flames wavered as if within a hurricane's bosom.

[You are not like the boy, an infant swaddled in weakness. Despite your lack of years you have power rivaling a number of heroes that have fallen before the might of my fangs and talons] It was nice getting complimented, but something told me that my being strong wasn't something that helped my chances in this situation. [I could devour you now and be done with it, but I am curious as to what you have planned and how you far your meager power will take you. Speak then, boy, before my patience runs dry and your life is forfeit.]

And as I stared death in the eyes, time once again stopped.

It took a moment for his words to sink it, rather a bit less than two nanoseconds since my magic unconsciously activated once more, and for the second time in… seconds, both my lives flashed before my eyes. Maybe I should stop doing that. Watching my life flash before me this many times can't be healthy

To be perfectly honest, I'm surprised I didn't factor this situation into my plan the moment I thought that taking out his Sacred Gear, or trying to at the very least, was a good idea. I mean, something at the back of my mind should have screamed 'Bael Incident' when I thought to use the Cross to steal away the Dragon from the boy, but I may have been so blinded by the prospect of gaining the Gauntlet of the Crimson Dragon Emperor that all thoughts of safety became secondary.

Wait, no I did factor it into my calculations, it's just that what I did wasn't enough to limit the damage.

See, I didn't extract the entirety of the Sacred Gear from Issei. No, doing that would kill him after a few minutes, and even Tears couldn't help with that, so instead I tried to take away as large a fragment as I could. I didn't take away all of the power he had, maybe about half at most when I pulled the orb free and stripped him of both that Gauntlet and the Scale Mail. I may not have taken Ddraig out of his cage, but more than likely I gave him a window, a peephole wide enough that even if he couldn't get out, that didn't mean he couldn't pull people in.

And that's exactly what he did to me.

I, or at least my soul, was in the very heart of the Boosted Gear, standing before the Crimson Dragon Emperor himself in a world of his own making and nothing was stopping him from going out and carrying on with his threat.

For all intents and purposes, the Ddraig I was looking at was the same dragon who devastated the battle lines to such an extent that all three races faced extinction. This was the exact same dragon who could afford to be nice to his wielders because of how much he had grown despite his captivity. The same dragon who gorged himself on the potential of humanity as they willingly offered themselves to him in exchange for his immense power. The Dragon was honest in his deals, and the power he gave those who asked was greater than any power Devils would be willing to part with, but in return he took their potential for growth, and at the end of it all, he devoured their very souls when they passed into the void.

I always wondered how Ddraig was able to call out the Strongest wielder of the Gauntlet of the Crimson Dragon Emperor, but as a Devil the answer couldn't have been more obvious.

Maybe there was a reason that sometimes Satan is referred to as a dragon, they steal souls just as much as we do, or did.

As for the why, power is the most obvious reason, but I guess he keeps fragments of them for their knowledge and experience; something like a massive library of souls in case he needs a more human perspective. Issei must have not been the first time he needed to have his current wielder consult with past wielders, but what he would do with my soul didn't matter right now. What mattered was that if he wanted to take it, this Dragon would have it before I could mount a proper defense, and even with such a defence I have no illusions as to the outcome of the battle.

A Nemean Lion weak from extraction was able to massacre those who managed to him to free him from his Sacred Gear, so why wouldn't a Dragon -at full fucking strength- be able to crush one puny little devil?

The was no reason. It would most definitely crush me like I was nothing, just like how the Two Heavenly Dragons devoured the Four Original Satans like they were nothing.

I lose.

Well damn.

I could have laughed, maybe I should have with how the situation flipped from my victory to being forced into an impossible corner. I could have fought, but when confronted with a lost battle, an inevitability, I would rather just stop, roll over, and die rather than trying to put up a worthless fight. I could have crumbled away in despair, but really it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would: being faced with death for a second time.

No use prolonging any of this longer, I release my spell allowing nanoseconds to pass by normally instead of dragging on as I hardened my resolve. If I'm going to die, I'll do it with my head held high.

In the end, I could only allow myself a small smile before my resigned eyes looked up at the mighty dragon. "To be perfectly honest, I only took measures to prevent you from getting out rather than keep you from dragging me in. I would have liked to meet you on my own terms, when I was sure that you wouldn't be able to strike me down when you felt like it, but I guess that my greed got the best of me and fate is finally collecting her due..."

Wait, I've got it!

Time slowed down once more, power draining my reserves as I continued to stare up at my executioner.

Or maybe not.

I didn't think that inspiration would strike then and there, but the moment I felt at rock bottom it was almost as if a hand reached down and pulled me back up. Resignation turned to superiority as I looked up to the beast that could easily devour my soul in a heartbeat, but in spite of the sheer difference in power, the Dragon simply looked down astonished.

He wouldn't eat me.

He couldn't.

This could work, and I so hope it does.

"...Well played, Crimson Dragon Emperor. I would like to say that I would defeat you next time, but battles like these don't allow such luxury, do they? Go on then Dragon, end this existence of mine and be done with it."

[Do you take me for a fool, Phenex?] The dragon bellowed, though in the harsh volume of his voice like thunder I detected a tinge of impressed amusement. [You expect me to walk into such a trap as easily as that?]

"It was worth a shot, you know?" I ask in a somewhat more relaxed tone, using the wind around me to propel myself closer to his head that I could stare him down on even ground if you could even call it that. "My life for the lives of many. Doesn't sound like a terrible trade from my perspective."

[Last time I checked, you were as selfish as they came. I can't see you as the type to accept martyrdom, child of Phenex.] The dragon's riposte was quick and direct, but if anything it told me that he was more than willing to enter the battle armed with wit rather than power. [You look like a child trying to cover up his mistake, but I am not so easily fooled. If I struck you down and took your power now, the Devils I so despise would strike back with a vengeance. Your power is great, but do not think that it is so great that I would be satisfied with having you for a last meal.]

Crisis Averted!

I was so surprised after being dragged into the Boosted Gear itself that I just remembered the last fail-safe I had in place should anything happen: my position.

Ddraig knew who I was, as well as the world around us, well enough that he knew the stakes of striking me down and claiming my soul. Sure, that was one meal and one powerful soul but in retaliation, the races as a whole would make sure to crush every incarnation of the Boosted Gear should suspicion arise. We both knew that it was possible to sniff out the scent of a dragon, that was how Raynare found out what Issei held, and it wouldn't be a stretch to conclude that all races would know of the risks the Boosted Gear if Ddraig took my soul, doubly so since I wasn't his current wielder.

No one would accept a Sacred Gear that could devour souls, and so whenever it surfaces, they would just slay the wielder. And that was one of the better scenarios; worst case they would extract the Boosted Gear from Issei after Ddraig kills me, and lock it away somewhere where it can't harm anyone anymore.

Lucifer would never stand his sister being near a being that could devour her soul, so there was no questioning that outcome.

[Still, your words hint at a plan and while we are here, I would like to hear it.] There was curiosity in his voice, and large intelligent eyes gleamed in the firelight as they stared into my very being. [You have written a magnificent play and chosen the actors perfectly. You directed them as they were instruments to be played and created music most curious with your mischief and machinations. This is a wonderful opening act you have shown me, a drama deserving accolades from the theater, though in its beauty I can see one flaw on the part of the playwright. This scene is much too long. I would admit that a feat such as this is an achievement unto itself, but for even the writer to be perplexed is something disquieting. I would ask of you the endgame, your ultimate goal in this venture, but you have none. So I ask, what do you plan to gain by meeting me?]

I smiled appreciatively, fitting in a game of chess when the opponent sees through a gambit and crushes it immediately.

He's good.

"That's why you brought me here?"

[You were foolish enough to grant me passage, so consider this as a rare act of mercy.] He snorted, impatience rising from him just as the fires around me intensified with his emotions. They died down soon after and the dimension around us actually cooled down a slight bit. No, I didn't lower my shield; even if I could get a grasp on the temperature, there was no way I was leaving myself more open than I already had. [Answer my questions and I might answer yours.]

Wow, he's really good if he managed to get that far into my head.

I had thought that the Dragons Ddraig and Albion were beasts of the battlefield; two warmongers that thrived only in combat and scoured the world for those to fell and overcome. I had thought that they were simple warriors, a pair of rivals occupied only with combat and power, and devoted to attaining the highest peak of martial prowess that they may be each other's equal and no one else's. I had thought that they were brutes, and while they should be versed in the art of combat and tactics, they shouldn't have had the experience to navigate a conversation like they would a battlefield. I had thought that what history, and the Story, told Devils about the Two Heavenly Dragons was true and unerring. Yet the very being in question, with just one statement, showed me the error of trusting the words of historians and chroniclers.

I had thought this and that, but those thoughts changed when Ddraig took what I said and laid the heart of my plans bare. My opinion of him changed when he found the one sentence in my despair ridden speech and brought it forth to attack my plans for the future. Everything I thought about him changed when the dragon of war, of burning death and hellish destruction, took a breath to pause and converse like those who shared the blood of the King under the Mountain.

This dragon was not a beast born and bred for battle alone. No he had intellect sharpened to such a point that it could equal his claws and cunning so acute that he wouldn't need his strength to put down those the Devils considered the Heroes of Old. This wasn't a force of nature that could be harnessed and controlled as I saw fit, but another player in the game of infinite stakes; where all had everything to gain and everything to lose.

History lied to me about Ddraig, and more than likely it lied about Albion too. I wanted to rectify that error, but even then he seemed to know my thoughts even before I gave them voice.

My next words were just for the formality in sealing the verbal agreement.

"Knowledge. I want to know things that history won't tell me, things that Devils have know way of knowing, and I thought that the best way to do that would be to ask those involved themselves." I reply, my tone more level and somewhat respectful as I looked to the dragon as an equal in the arena of thought and rhetoric. "I would have liked to prepare myself a bit more, but now that we've met, I would like to ask you a question if you would hear it."

[Interesting. I was right then, you come before one of the most powerful dragons to have ever existed, you muster the gall to force me into a stalemate and all you do to press your advantage is ask a question. From this, I can tell that you must either be too crafty to allow your true identity to slip past your guard, or those around you are much too stupid to try and pierce it in the first place. An elegantly crafted mask of debauchery, a front to hide cold ruthless intelligence.] The sound of an avalanche shoot the very dimension we stood in, flames flickering beneath the sheer weight of a dragon's voice as the Crimson Dragon Emperor laughed like a parent before his foolish child. [I see nothing wrong with answering your question. Ask, and we shall see the true measure of your foresight.]

I smiled at the massive dragon, a smile he returned no matter how frightening and predatory it looked, as the question that served as the cornerstone of my next plan rose to the forefront of my mind.

"How long will it take to solve an Eternal Equation?"

* * *

"So this is how it feels like now that the shoe's on the other foot."

My words were hazy and half-baked, as I looked up at the sizable group of people before me from the comfort of my very own bed, which at the risk of sounding redundant, was so fluffy and warm that I was tempted to actually doze off in front of them. It looks as if the conversation with Ddraig took more out of me than I first anticipated; how I got into the bed, and before that how I got knocked out, aside, it was painfully tiring just to shift my gaze as I made a mental tally of who stood, and sat, at my bedside.

The fatigue might have had something to do with fighting off the flames of a giant freaking dragon, but honestly I was just much too tired to care for the cause.

Rias's Peerage was present, no surprise there; Rias was the only one among them allowed to sit at my bedside while the rest of them kept their solemn vigil over me on their feet. I wouldn't have surprised me that much if the reason for their choice to stand fell on the need to be ready to attack at a moment's notice, rather than a modicum of respect they held for me; said respect replaced by anger and hatred a few hours ago during our conversation.

It was nice to see the play of emotions dancing on their faces, most especially Akeno's since she was the most expressive when she thought that I wouldn't posses enough of my mental faculties to detect the minuscule twitches hidden in her smile. It looked like she was trying to decide whether to look relieved that I wasn't dead, because that would have caused a fuss, or disappointed that I was awake and the latter was quickly winning out. I shot her a serene smile and quickly held in a laugh as her eyebrow twitched, more than likely overcome with disgust as I tried to be nice.

I would have thought she liked getting abused relentlessly, this is the last time I try to go with her flow.

Kiba was a close second, only because he didn't even try hiding the distaste in his expression as my eyes met his for a brief moment. He loaded all the hostility he could into his glare before trying to skewer me with his eyes, and if looks could kill then he would have proved more lethal than anyone in their little group. What was interesting about him was his movements though, when compared to his serene Queen, his body quaked and trembled with the thought of me smiling at him especially after I tried to reveal truth to them. The makings of a smile were hidden somewhere though, hand in hand with the secret hope that I would make a move in my weakened state and give them an excuse to 'defend themselves'.

Naivety can be funny too it seemed, oh did I have plans for this one.

Shirone was clever enough to hide her face from me, though from her form I sensed fear and anger; the fear of getting angry strangely enough. She must have been scared to death at the fact that she struck the hardest and harnessed her power of senjutsu in her anger, her own wrath coupled with that of nature propelling her to new heights as she began to drown in the emotions of the world. I was sure that she didn't want to acknowledge my existence anymore, for fear that I would inspire the deepest rage in her heart, the grief that took her innocence, and the doubt that the one who loved her like her older sister should, the way Kuroka still did even if white cat would never know, was an illusion.

Poor kitty, but laughing would be in bad taste and counter productive.

Issei was being pathetic, not in the usual manner where he's cocky and full of a false sense of bravado, but in the way that he actually looked conflicted as he watched me groggily shift my gaze from behind his King. He actually seemed conflicted and remorseful now that the actions he took didn't work out the way he intended them to. I couldn't blame the guy for looking like he just messed up some master plan to get Rias away from me; because he totally did, but it was another thing to see the main protagonist, the boy that no one seemed to be able to break in the anime, light novels, and manga, somewhat contemplative and not a cookie-cutter reproduction of some Shonen Series protagonists.

Seeing that pathetic sight made me want to rip out his throat and strangle him with it while shouting about how a protagonist should act… but he had the support and protection of Sirzechs.

That's getting annoying. The Boosted Gear in exchange for the ire of the Gremory Family. Weirdly enough, I found that it's wasn't worth the trade. No use troubling myself over nothing, so I decided to sit back and enjoy the boy's lack of protagonist bravado.

And then there was Rias: the stone-faced King was the sole person sitting at my bedside as dark eyes bored into me with an ominous sense of oblivion. She was still dressed in the night's attire, we all were, but she lacked the radiance and beauty she had whenever I beheld her, either in anger, determination, disappointment, or grief. The night's proceedings had emptied her of emotion, of the strength to even feel as her mind was taken for a ride on a roller-coaster of plots and plans with no real destinations. The euphoric heights of hope and victory contrasted the abyssal lows of despair and regret, and after experiencing all that it was no surprise that she would be emotionally exhausted.

I was more surprised that she managed an excellent expression of calm patience, considering that her Peerage had had ample time to rat me out. She should have been thoroughly seething by now if she knew half of what I had said. I know her peerage was made of a bunch of pussies, but come on, I would have ratted me out.

On to business then, I put on my game face for good measure.

"If we get married, you don't get to name any of our kids." I begin in perfect deadpan as the tension in the room, once thick enough to cut with a knife, suddenly dissipated to make room for confusion.

"What?" The non sequitur clearly threw her off, her face contorted as her mind raced to process what I just said. The words did come from nowhere, and while she had acknowledged the possibility of marriage, she didn't seem to have any idea where the naming of children factored into the night's events.

I threw an accusing finger at her rook, and the little girl seemed to sense my intent as she scurried behind the protective form of her knight to draw more distance between us. "If you decide on naming our children in the same twisted way you named her, then I'd honestly let my mother handle that part too. Our parents, even Leviathan, all have better naming sense than you!"

Her eyes narrowed as the feeble attempt to keep any sense of civility was thrown out the window. It only took a few seconds, but once she made the connection between names and her rook, she was absolutely livid. She had probably sensed that there was something wrong with them, but having me confirm it, regardless of what I had done, was enough to start Hurricane Rias.

And to think all I did was tell a joke.

Again, I was impressed at her control. Instead of lashing out she managed to compose herself before mustering a glare that could match the heat of some of my most powerful spells.

"What did you do?" It was the calm before the storm, and though her tone was flat and almost dead, I could hear her anger behind the grinding of her teeth. So she could be quick on the trigger when it counts? Adorable, but that would easily land her into trouble.

Case in point.

"It's called telling a joke, darling, you should try listening to them sometime." That didn't matter to me as much as it should have though, since for all her anger my response was just a simple shrug. "Other than that, I told them to think about how they managed to become members of your Peerage, more specifically the absurdity of each situation."

"Oh?" Rias stated. I should probably be worried about that look. The casual statement combined with the imperiously raised eyebrow is a staple of feminine combat, as well as cat fights.

"Naturally, I mean we both know there is no way they just happened to become members of your peerage, right?"

I had thought her previous glare was hot, in both senses of the word, but this one appeared to have passed combustion and moved on to nuclear fusion. Apparently realizing that the silence meant that her peerage was, in fact, unsure about my statement was enough to add even more anger to her mounting rage.

Still I have to that that this was… much less satisfying than I thought it would be.

As bad as Rias Gremory was, she really was a bleeding heart among the Devils, especially compared to Sona's cold discipline and Sairaorg's loving but heavy handed way of expressing himself. More than ever, I was sure that everything she did, she did out of love or ignorance. Whenever she came to resurrect a person as a Devil, she never once thought about the potential of the dying human or the power she would gain after allowing them a second chance at life. She had her own innocence that way, and she would generally love her Peerage like she did her family without reservation or restraint even as it grew with more interesting and broken individuals.

She knew they were broken and still she loved them as much as she could. She knew that they suffered and she would strive again and again to become their pillar of support and comfort them when the wounds of their pasts grew too heavy to bear alone. She acted as a mother to both her knight and her rook, as well as a sister to her queen and as a good mother and sister she was always there whenever they fell, or whenever they grieved, and whenever they cried. There was no other plan, no ulterior motive to her love for them; she hugged and kissed their pain away until they were better because that was all that she knew, and though she wore the facade of a noble Devil, at heart she was an innocent child who wanted nothing more than the happiness of her Peerage and the family around her.

Sure, she had her own selfish desires but I doubted that would win over her Peerage if she had to choose between one and the other.

So when I threatened the happiness of her Peerage she was absolutely furious. I won't even try to describe the emotion she felt when I questioned the authenticity of her love.

It was too easy. If I had actually cared at all about this then that would be really sad.

"So you're saying that you think I planned all of these events to gain my peerage? That I manipulated and ruined their lives so that they would serve me!"

"Of course not," I casually rebutted. "That was your brother, you were just the lucky beneficiary."

And suddenly the room went silent, every single occupant shocked beyond belief at how quickly I turned the tables. Of course, the shock was a bit less serious this time, so the anger came a lot faster; or it would have come a lot faster if I decided to give them a chance. They had their opportunity to talk, it was my turn to monologue.

"They give you too much credit if they honestly believe you capable of such subtle suggestion." I asked with an exaggerated tone, sitting up from my comfortable pillow to slowly shake my head in mock mirth. "You, responsible for all the hardships in their lives? You, actually pulling off something as far reaching and perfectly planned as that? Right, and I suppose that I'm a god now? Really children," I turn to them with a patronizing smile and spoke with an amused tone. "In what world would Rias Gremory be capable of that? I mean, next thing you know you'd believe me if I said that your stupid pawn has actually started making a harem."

The sheer stupidity of their own conclusions came crashing down on their heads. Well, and since at this point Issei managed to save just one of his girls , the harem idea was a bust too, and he was too distracted feeling sorry that he didn't even notice the jab, truly grade A stupidity.

They held Rias in high regard but while I would be forced to concede that she was smart where it counted, everyone would agree that she wasn't exactly a genius when it came to tactics or strategy in the political arena. Sure, in purely magical combat, she was as much of a rising star as I was, but when it came to people she was much too innocent and honest to be a legitimate threat. She won over the masses with her love and affection for all those under her, but when it came to convincing people to do things, when said people are of equal rank or higher, she doesn't use dirty tricks or make ingenious social plays.

She just tells the truth.

Now, that isn't always bad; on the contrary, it is a very sound tactic when you try to make friends. Trust is something you need in any relationship, but in times of war and subterfuge it is far better to just shut up rather than ever tell an enemy the truth. She told the truth, not because it was a good decision when she found herself relating to neutral parties, but because it was everything she knew. My guess is that the closest she had ever come to with regards to manipulation was the recent incident with the fallen angels, when she told Issei to stay behind, yet expected him to charge in anyway

But Issei is an idiot, and anyone would have been able to do that.

That being said, she would never have had the mental mindset, not to even mention the skill, to successfully manipulating Akeno into being her best friend and most trusted confidant. She lacked the subtle skill to maneuver Shirone into a good enough position such that Rias could love her without it seeming forced; it was a foregone conclusion that the little girl would reciprocate and love her just as much as she still loved her estranged elder sister. She did not have to power to inspire in Kiba such obedience that the boy would give up his fruitless chase and drop the idea of vengeance altogether. The final nail in the coffin was that she didn't even have the seductive prowess to have Issei jump her the moment she appeared in his room naked, and this guy desperately wanted some tail.

That was just… well sad.

If she had no significant aptitude for misdirection and plotting as a blooming teenager, then she would have had zero skill as a fucking eight year old.

Akeno was still in a state of shock that she didn't think of that little tidbit when she was sending spear after spear of lightning at my barrier, her hands covering her gaping mouth in realization at just how little faith she had in her best friend. They say only doubt inspires anger; that if she truly believed that it was impossible for Rias to fool them on such a grand scale, she would have easily brushed it away like if I said something completely impossible like... say Issei being into men.

Kiba couldn't look me or Rias in the eye now. Not when he realized just how greatly he misjudged the situation, and was more than likely in the process of beating himself up mentally for being played like a fiddle. I'm sure that he will be developing trust issues now, since I was not the first person in power to have manipulated him. Then again there was a small chance that he would actually learn from this encounter -read between the lines, get all the facts, and take an enemy's words with a grain of salt- before forming an opinion.

Koneko hugged Rias in apology for doubting her, though she still made an effort to hide from me so I couldn't pick up much more than that.

It's scenes like these for which I keep a camera situated somewhere on the ceiling. Comedy gold I say!

Speaking of which, let's make this even more fun.

"You're all idiots, a after this I hope you idiots realize just how stupid you all are for taking part in this affair.." I addressed Rias and her Peerage as a whole now, garnering their attention as I raised my hand and presented my index finger. "The first lesson, as well as the first lesson you failed at, is that given any battle, you are the only thing you can truly control and therefore it stands to reason that you must always exert some control of yourself when it comes to combat."

"If you think I'm going to stand here while acting like Sona…" Wait, what? Nevermind, I don't think it's that important. Note for later, look at how deep their rivalry runs.

"This is for your benefit dear, and things like losing your cool in any situation is a big no-no, as it clouds your judgement and impairs your ability to think in any worthy fashion. " The timing was enough to stun her into silence. Really, she should have learned to control those ardent emotions of hers. "In a true fight, anger could double your striking power, but more often than not it reduces your accuracy by a much greater degree and in doing so proves useless in a fight. Please don't ruin this by bringing area of effect attacks, Rias, Akeno, since even then it's not exactly such a good idea to get mad during a fight with something important on the line." As I say those words, the two mentioned decided to close their mouths, Rias more miffed but curious than anything while Akeno held an expression of dissatisfaction and finely tuned anger. "

The middle finger rose next. "Lesson number two would cover talking in a fight; what to do and what not to do. First things first, you do not under any circumstances talk during a fight unless absolutely necessary. Issei, this goes double for you: talking to your opponent in a fight is stupid, talking to someone while fighting an entirely different person is just plain suicide."

"If I used anything more than a simple punch, you would have been ashes on the arena floor before you even managed to summon your Sacred Gear." The boy had the decency to shrink back and look embarrassed, especially after recalling what had happened when he so stupidly looked away to talk to Rias during our fight. "Of course, when your opponents start talking though, things get a bit more complicated."

"A talking opponent comes in one of three flavors: one who fights by talking, one strong enough to be able to talk and fight simultaneously, and the plain idiot." I gave a small chuckle as Issei bristled at that comment, before sending him an apologetic smile. "Rule of thumb is that if any of you find yourselves dealing with the first one, you punch their lights out and call it a day. If you're dealing with one of the other two options, you need to do further analysis."

"On a side note, Kiba, Himejima, Toujou; since you were incapable of punching my lights out, you should have decided to extricate yourselves from the situation, instead of standing around like a captive audience." I take my pillow and position it upright so I could lean on the headboard of the bed more comfortably before continuing.

"Now, the second type is most likely expecting you to strike while he or she is talking but power gap between you two is just that large that no matter how many free shots you get, it's still a guaranteed loss. The best thing you can do is stall while waiting for help to come, because most of the time, the situation is just that bleak and you have no hope of winning otherwise. I channeled this archetype when I fought Issei, presenting him with the idea that he could beat me while my contingencies ensured that he could not. Sorry to say, child, but with no option of retreat or additional aid you had lost as soon as you agreed to the match."

"Back on topic, if you are fighting someone who channels the idiot you just kill them, but the real problem is distinguishing between the two archetypes." Here all I could do was shrug and give a wan smile since I really couldn't tell them anything on the topic at this point. "Sad to say the best way to do this is through experience, lacking that you have to test their power, which can often prove fatal if you're not careful."

"All of your mistakes though, stem from one common root; one so obvious that I don't know whether to be surprised or irritated at your rapidly escalating stupidity. " I lowered my hand and schooled my emotions until nothing but a hard line remained of my smile. "You don't know me as well as you think you do."

Their reactions were made wonderful by their contrast. The Knight was stoic in the face of my assertion while the Rook continued to cling to her King and try to put as much distance between me and her as possible. The Queen allowed a curious expression on her face, as if I had finally caught her interest while the Pawn's eyes narrowed in harsh anger, distaste at the thought of getting to know me more flowing from him.

Their King settled and evaluated the value of the lecture, the truth in my statement, simply quirking her eyebrow as she rubbed smoothed circles in the back of her rook. She was still angry, no question there, but it looked like she was a bit more willing to learn now.

Big mistake, and to think I just lectured them on making mistakes. This was a battle too you know? Though I guess they were still too blind to realize that they were never truly out of the fight.

We were Devils after all, and there existed no rest for the wicked.

"It both disappoints and pleases me to say that you all came into this situation expecting to challenge an obnoxious, boorish, spoilt manchild and acted accordingly. I beat you each time, not because I was stronger or my tactics were better, though both of those are completely true, but because you had no idea what you were up against, and I did." I frowned before preparing myself to say some of the most disgusting combinations of words that have ever touched my lips. "This is the most trite advice you will hear from anyone, but the moment you underestimate an opponent is the moment you lose. It's so frequently said that it's annoying, and frankly I can't see how you could still make such a stupid mistake despite having certainly heard all of this before. You all are stupidly bad and you should all feel bad. Now, before we move on to something that is not remedial education, any questions?"

I'm sure that each of them had their own thoughts but I zeroed in on my fianceé as she sat back down and pondered my words. Maybe she was still thinking about what I told her peerage, though since her peerage seemed to actually take my words into consideration instead of continue to rage she must have put that matter aside for now. Maybe she was wondering where she went wrong and how much I had changed from the clueless idiot to an actual threat in the political arena. Maybe she was thinking-

"Why?"

Even as I pondered the meaning behind that sort of vague question my mouth opened with an automatic response. "I think you need to be a bit more specific dear. Your father has the limited psychic abilities, not me." I fixated on her expression, she was just adorable when she scrunched her nose and narrowed her eyes in deep thought.

"Why are you doing this?" The funny thing about how she asked was that she sported a look of genuine confusion on her face as she looked up at me from her seat. It was like looking at a student who just couldn't figure out the answer even after trying so hard to get to it; equal parts tired, resigned, and curious. I really didn't know what to feel when she looked at me that way, it was almost as if she finally washed away all the prejudices she had about me, leaving nothing but a blank slate.

Alright, this little heart to heart just turned into a 'try not to laugh'.

I couldn't help the flash of excitement I felt at her change in demeanor, my mind already racing ahead planning the next steps of my Machiavellian scheme. This was quickly stopped as my more logical side screamed that this was a trap, and while that is probably an overstatement, I definitely needed to be careful in my response.

With all the control I could muster, I blinked once.

Twice.

"Shouldn't the question be why I had to teach your peerage one of the most basic lessons of being a combatant?" I direct my 'incredulous' gaze back to my fianceé and speak, my voice rising slightly in a farce of disbelief. "Besides, you are my fiancee, so if your peerage can't even follow the most basic lessons of the Art of War, it reflects badly on me. Also, I'm the youngest in a family of three boys; you know how hard it is to find someone fun to mess with in this day and age?"After all this could all be an elaborate setup to trick me into letting my guard down, allowing her to get in close and gut me like a fish when I least expect it. Then again she could just be curious about my motives...? No this is definitely a trap, but it's one I intentionally have to trip either way. I've always been a fan of better safe than sorry, so I definitely have to tread lightly around this new Rias.

But she's stupid, do I really have to be wary? Well, it's not like I lose out on entertainment if I string her along, and the safe plays have their own charm I guess.

"I'm asking you why you had to go so far." She replied with a more serious expression, totally done with my banter, before sending a subtle glance towards a specific pervert in the room. Right, him not knowing more private things about the rest of them is a plot point at this time in the novels. It's nice to see that despite all of my fiery butterflies there are still some things which haven't changed. "While I have my doubts regarding your motivations, as well as your endgame, your methods were needlessly heavy handed."

If this really marks the beginning of some scheme to get me to trust her, then I should play the part so as to not alert her of my own suspicion. No more treating her like an ignorant child; every move she makes would be considered fully considered with a certain purpose in mind, namely gaining my trust, and I'll let her think that she has it until she plays her hand. It was time to fake it 'till I make it.

She sent a quick glance to her Peerage and we watched everyone in the room stiffen in anticipation. The three involved sent each other frightened gazes, before eyes turned to plead with their King not to tug on their barely healed trauma.

They seemed to manage to have an entire conversation with their eyes as the queen took the rook and the knight in her arms, smiling warmly at the two of them before shaking her head at the king, who for her part just sighed before nodding once and facing me with resigned frustration. "I want to know why you went that far in your… how did you phrase it, 'teaching' when there are so many other less damaging ways to achieve the same result."

Issei just looked confused and upset. He had an inkling that something had gone down, he just didn't know what.

"Why I went so far, hmm?…" I didn't know if Issei could actually piece together what had happened with the information he was getting, but Rias and the rest definitely didn't want him to know just yet. And I could certainly use that to my advantage, "You might want Issei out of the room for this. Or maybe let him stay, I don't really mind if you give me more of an opportunity to enjoy myself."

Rias looked at me for a second, gauging my sincere sarcasm with a healthy amount of suspicion. She must have reached the conclusion that I was laying it a bit too thick for it to be a lie, and sent the dragon boy out with some hesitation.

Issei looked like he would argue for a second, but after seeing how the rest of the Peerage seemed troubled and in favor of his exit, he eventually complied.

Note to self, I shouldn't give these kids any more free hints; it's so much more fun making them squirm.

As soon as Issei was out of earshot, I began to speak a bit more freely about the situation. "You should have seen them, you could have easily mistook them for Strays."

"Impossible." Oh, that was fast. Her reply was swift as well as solid, delivered as if she was stating a matter of fact rather than her biased opinion. "My Peerage would never behave in such a manner. You know was well as I do that since the founding of Evil Piece System, there has never been a Stray from the House of Gremory."

Right, there was still that claim.

A bit of context: The Evil Piece system had been established a mere millennium ago which, while not as short as a blink of an eye to most devils, was far too short of a time for such a claim to have any weight, normally. However, the system had only been started in the first place because after the Great War the population of devils' was decimated and they needed the new blood that the Evil Pieces' could provide. In fact the Evil Pieces were such a godsend that Ajuka Beelzebub focused on developing the devil's forces almost entirely through the Pieces. There were consequences to this, however, which caused another huge uprising not long after the end of the Great War.

The Civil War.

The Piece system was a game changer for the Devils, it allowed them to replenish their numbers in a way that none of the other factions could match. However, with the huge influx of new devils, mostly reincarnated humans, many of the Devils felt that they were being replaced and their deeds forgotten. They channelled this anger and fear and declared war against the users of the Evil Pieces, claiming that their use defiled the purity of Devilkind and should be abolished. This war was bitter and impressively violent as Old Satan Faction, the opponents of the Evil Piece system, had to face both its regular proponents and the heroes of the Great War who brought it into being. As a result the war was tumultuous, it tore families apart, with sons fighting fathers and sisters fighting mothers, and betrayal struck at both sides. Everyone lost friends or family, and no Devil House was left unharmed. Except for The House of Gremory.

The single greatest and most loyal weapon of the Old Satan Faction, Grayfia Lucifuge, was willing to betray her family but in contrast, no servant of the House of Gremory even thought about committing treachery. And it was sincere love that bound both the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation and every servant of the Gremory to the house, a love so innocent and whole that even the most ingenious attempts to sway them with power and riches fell flat.

From then on, any servant they had, any member who carried their blood and their name remained faithful to their cause, and to this day no servant of Gremory has ever turned their back on their House.

Maybe that was about to change.

"With the way you raise them, I would be inclined to agree with you. However your peerage is close to breaking not because of what you've done with them as devils, but what was done to them before you acquired them. I find it strange that all your pieces are fundamentally flawed in some way, could it be that you have some sort of fetish for the mentally insane?" The small smile on my face disappeared for the first time as I turned to face the bloodknight. "Still dear, your peculiar taste will be the death of us all if you keep this up."

I was going to tear him apart, or I would be if he wasn't the one doing the tearing.

"Kiba Yuuto, what would you do if I took you to the holding place of Excalibur?"

Rias was too startled by the question to form words, while Akeno and Shirone stood silently as the knight began to seethe with unrestrained fury. To Yuuto's credit, he seemed unsure if my words were to be trusted or not, but that didn't change the fact that the mere name of the sword seemed to break his facade of geniality and bring out the worst in him.

They spent a few minutes just observing how he reacted, all of them looking at the knight with expressions containing varying degrees of worry when I decided to bring the hammer down. "This isn't a hypothetical situation. You have my word that I can deliver that piece of information. As of now, there is only one who possesses Excalibur and from the looks of things, the church has been more than willing to give her a measure of freedom. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you would find both her and the sword unguarded if you decided to meet her. That would be quite a meeting though, one I'm not adverse to arranging. How does that sound?"

My sober, somewhat bored, expression was like cool water against the knight's look of absolute rage. I'm sure that Rias had an impressive expression, as would Akeno, while Shirone would be a little bit scared at seeing the ever so cheerful Yuuto rage, but right now they didn't matter.

It was just him and me. "I am curious; what do you plan to do with her if I tell you where she is?"

"Where?" His reply was calm on the surface, but the undercurrent of feral viciousness was so palpable that if I didn't know any better I would say he was just about ready to kill me, despite the political quagmire Sirzechs landed them in by attempting to kill me by proxy.

"What will you do, little knight?"

"I will avenge my brothers and sisters and destroy that piece of shit Holy Sword they revere so much." His words were harsh as emotions finally flooded from him and crashed against the expressionless facade I wore. It was getting increasingly difficult to mask the smile that was threatening to form; this was just too easy. "Now where is it, Riser-sama?" Honorifics now, eh? He must be getting extremely desperate if he was willing to show me a measure of respect.

Well, in canon he did go against orders when Rias told him to leave the Excalibur Incident alone and in his rage, he went rogue and began searching for the Excalibur Fragments himself. Since he had no real reason to mistrust me now that I gave my word, which carried a strange amount of weight around here, it was no surprise he would do the same now and throw his little tantrum.

"And if the woman defends herself and fights back? I'm sure you don't expect her to bend over and take it like a certain someone in the room." To be fair, I didn't know if Akeno was into that sort of thing, but I just couldn't resist.

His next words said it all.

"Then I'll enjoy killing her slowly after I defeat her with my own demonic blades. I'll take that 'true wielder' the church is so proud of and crush her mind and body. I break her, in every way I know how, in every way they did when they experimented on us for the glory of their misbegotten, hypocritical, damned Faith!" His voice grew loud and guttural as his eyes glowed with madness and grief. "She will know pain as I take away everything she holds dear and crush it right in front of her eyes! She will fall into despair as I give her hope after hope only to snatch it away and thrust her back into a hell of my own design! I will have my vengeance and damnation be on the church, on that sword, and on anyone who stands in my way…"

His voice fell back into a whisper as his strength left him, returning to the dark heart that was kept beating by malice and wrath. What came next was a ghost of a voice, and yet it was a statement with such steel that I had to hold myself from replying immediately.

Was I actually afraid of him? Oh heavens, err, hell no. It's just that this was getting so good I almost couldn't wait to crush his expectations. The way he was so obsessed with vengeance that he would shed the facade of being a good boy and emerge as a rampaging beast was so delicious that I almost played my hand. But ending it so quickly would have been such a huge mistake; hunts like these were meant to be savored.

"Now, where is she?"

From the corner of my eyes I saw Rias as she stood to my side, utterly shellshocked by her knight's behavior. She should have known that he was a man of vengeance, and that he pushed himself in the hopes that one day he might be able to shatter the Most Powerful Holy Sword in existence once again.

That was just the opening act though, and with a snap of my fingers, the curtains rose and revealed the star of the next drama.

"She's right here."

Flames lit up the room, a blaze so bright that everyone had to look away before white took over their vision. A devil's eyes were extremely sensitive after all, and so all of them did avert their gaze…

Save for one.

"Tada!"

The knight looked on with grim anticipation as the blaze rose and faded, and when it finally revealed who stood amongst the embers, the face contorted with anger suddenly found itself bemused.

"What is this?"

"Excalibur was thrown back into the lake from whence it came after Arthur died, and it was indeed a Sword of Man rather than one of God. But its power was the epitome of humanity, and the fullness of its potential that He sought to claim it as his own. And so it was that while it was no of heavenly origin, Yahweh did use it and on his deathbed he chose to seal away and return it to the Lady of the Lake, that one day, another might give rise to its glory. Now, Viviane veils herself within the Twilight, and while the power of Excalibur is one of utter destruction when unleashed upon foes, she would rather extend the Healing that the Immortal Scabbard provided. Here is that scabbard now, sealed away in a gear so that no one may use the sword until its time has come."

Avalon and Excalibur, the ultimate offence and defence. Created by the Fae, anointed by the Dragons, cultivated under a Devil and sanctified by God, it was one blade that could be matched by few and a blade that was definitely impossible to shatter.

It should have been obvious that it would be hidden in a place one least expected, that its immense power would be sheathed in its scabbard rather than standing alone as a sword that promises victory to anyone who holds it.

And so the Greatest Blade was hidden inside a Sacred Gear, Excalibur and Avalon united once more under and in the hands of she who first held them; The Lady of the Lake and her current host…

Asia Argento.

It was crazy to think that she had Excalibur, and indeed no one would peg such a sweet and harmless girl as the wielder of the strongest known sword in human history. But that's what made Viviane so brilliant if she really was in there: she decided to hide the immensely powerful weapon in a person who wouldn't think of using it.

It was that sort of brilliantly mad reasoning that made it so annoying to try to separate fact from fiction, because it made more sense than most truths in this fictional universe.

Though really, why was I surprised at this point?

Issei created a spell that bypassed all magical and physical defences… for boobs. He created as spell with the potential to ignore conventional durability outright for the sole purpose of seeing boobs.

It's a wonder I haven't been needing to constantly resurrect myself, this level of stupid should be cancerous!

Anyway, back to Asia. She was gagged of course, or rather silenced with a spell, but other than that she was fine… I must be losing it if I can't even remember which...

"Now then, Knight-kun, what will you do? Will I get to watch something fun," I may have jumped the gun anyway seeing how those words seemed to make him hesitate. Really, they can't think of some of the most obvious things, and now reverse psychology is working? Let's try reverse reverse psychology then; straight psychology? "Or will you show her mercy?"

"That's impossible… Excalibur was broken." He didn't bat an eye as to how I managed to get Asia in the room, she was the real one by the way not that he cared, but confusion turned to frustration as doubt began to slip into his words. He's breaking down… and as funny as it was that meant that he wouldn't be killing anything until he puts himself together. Everyone knows how useless he is when he's mad. "It was shattered centuries ago and that's-"

"Yes, yes, the seven fragments and all that, but was that actually Excalibur? Personally, I find such an assertion hard to believe when the King Arthur did have a sword that shattered during his lifetime. As much as I like history though, it is clear that you don't believe me and for some boring reason you don't want to just kill her, and that's perfectly fine. I could be lying to your stupid angsty face anyway." I turn back to my Fiancee with a smug expression of victory. "Are you satisfied now, darling?"

She didn't know if I told the truth or not, or even whether I had been deceived, but that hardly mattered. The information was relegated to the background as her knight's reaction hovered in the forefront of her mind. It hurt, it must have, as she watched one of her prized pieces, maybe her oldest male companion, as I destroyed him. And it was amazingly cathartic.

"Where did you hear that?" She continued weakly, her voice wary as Kiba continued to consider all his options.

Despite having known Asia for quite a while now, the only thing currently keeping Yuuto from killing her was the fact that he didn't know if I was right as well as his combat crippling mental breakdown and of course my Fiancee saw that. On her part, Rias may have wanted to know where I heard such a tale, but right now her focus was to undermine the credibility of my assertion by attacking the true source.

That wouldn't work, especially given how much my source knew about Arthurian Legends. Once upon a time, he was a part of those same songs after all.

"He told me." I took the orb from under the covers before flashing her a sly smile. "One who was there during the time the blade supposedly shattered, though I guess you can't believe that either. In the end it doesn't really matter at this point; you know this infant is unstable since he's actually considering killing Asia on a baseless accusation, not that he could do shit if he's angry. It would be fun to watch him try though and I was sort of looking forward to watching your peerage implode, but I guess that's more of my fault for ending the joke too early."

"Baseless joke?" He growled before actually drawing a blade this time, though I quickly raised my hand to silence the raging knight. Well, that and setting up an extra barrier; more defenses never hurt anybody.

"For you that is, since I can't exactly prove Ddraig said anything, and bringing him out here so he can tell you himself would probably kill your Pawn. Also, you can't compel him to tell the truth, so even if he said it, you wouldn't know if he was just messing with you or not. Is the story realistic? Yes. Possible? Most definitely. But true? You can never know sometimes. Well, you guys will never know period if you just get angry at every little thing." I gave the all a shrug before gesturing to the seats around the area. For some reason Rias was the only one who seated herself, but maybe that was her Peerage's way of showing some respect.

If I recall correctly, it was like that in their clubroom too.

Weird.

"Anyway, it was enough to unnerve your knight, and even if he doesn't decide to kill Asia, he has pondered long enough that he would be dead in an actual fight. Your peerage is unstable, Rias, and your bias makes it so that if I didn't show it to you in all its ugliness then you would never listen. As of now, I don't really care anymore, but it's only fair I warn you one last time given our relationship."

"But why go through all that trouble?" This was pure frustration now, impatience and confusion working together to strip all of her composure away. This was no longer her interrogating me, but her ranting. "I never asked for this! I never asked to be engaged to you! I never asked you to help me fix my Peerage! I never wanted to have anything to do with you! But even then, you still keep pushing yourself onto me and pull this kind of shit. Why?"

I looked at her with the most gentle expression I could muster and allowed a peal of laughter to escape me, if only just a little. It was a nice laugh, something musical, melodious even, but more than the sound itself, I never thought that I would laugh that happily at the expense of some fictional characters.

The next few words I said broke her heart.

"Is it really that hard to believe that I genuinely care for you?"

Critical Hit! If any set of words could silence her it was those. Finally, I had rendered Rias Gremory speechless by giving her exactly what she wished for.

I shrug. "As of now, yeah it kinda is, but I do care for you to some extent, and messing with you outside the bedroom is fun in its own way."

And now she was back, maybe angry at some level but the shock of the previous statement wasn't overcome by the confusion the most recent quip. She was mildly mad, but she was still mostly a blushing mess unable to speak.

Oh God, OW, stupid! This what just too good that I swear if I die right now it would have been worth it.

Nah.

Maybe that was enough for one night, since it looked like anymore and the girl would break as easily as her Peerage did. Too much fun was to be had and I couldn't just break my new toys the moment I got my hands on them.

There was so much more fun I could have as Suzaku anyway.

"Luna, Shuriya." I called out, summoning the two from the shadows in the corners of the room as my own eyes grew too heavy to keep open. Huh, that talk with Ddraig actually did take more of a toll than I expected. "Thank you for fetching Asia as requested, it was a very big help in this little discussion. Now, if you two would please see my fiancee out? I don't think I have enough energy to get out of bed."

"Of course, Riser-sama." Once again Luna's voice was like music to my ears, a pleasant consolation for missing the utterly surprised looks on Rias and company's faces as the rest of my own Peerage emerged from the shadows.

Ah, plots and plans would have to wait for now.

Maybe this time I'll get a good night's sleep.

* * *

Sleep is great.

"Do you actually love her?"

Or at the very least it was until I was viciously dragged away from its delicate embrace by the voice of the last person I wanted to see after everything that happened.

Well played fate. I'll take that as a 'no' on the getting a goodnight's sleep then? Also, you're finally making your move by bringing this clown in front of me when I didn't have enough trouble to dealing with things around here. What things, well I don't know, maybe political fallout between our two families, having the world's strongest Devil threaten to kill be by proxy, witlessly being dragged into a metal game of speed chess with one of the most long lived dragons out there, an anxiety attack judging how things seemed to be swaying to and fro, MOTHER FUCKING INSOMNIA, to name a few.

And now I have to deal with this too?

Fine.

No big deal. First thing's first, I have to muster up enough strength to reply.

"I sleep for the first time since three months and the first thing I wake up to is you?" There was palpable disgust in the air as I groggily spat the words from my mouth, sitting up from my bed to stare into the annoying visage that was Revive Phenex. "It's only been a few hours since we've had the public engagement ceremony and she already knows my weakness? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to push her buttons after all."

He laughed, a beautiful sound, before snapping his fingers and willing the fire to come forth from his hands. Flames I haven't seen since we were children lept from his palm and enveloped me in a blink of an eye and wrapped me in familiar warmth. Its been years but Riser's body still seems to remember at time just after the war, when Revive's flames provided comfort and healing instead of the eerie mystery I had to deal with now.

This was how he kept his own identity from being overshadowed by the might father and Ruval wielded; he turned his Phenex Regeneration outward, and when our flames only healed ourselves, his reached to mend the hurt of others.

Fatigue melted away as soon as the warm blue fire lapped at my form, a thin blanket of my own flame burning in concert with his as my body began to fix that which needed mending. Any trace of sleep was gone, and exhaustion was shoved aside to make way for the acute, almost paranoid, alertness I hadn't experienced since I first realized that I was reincarnated here. As much as I disliked doing so, maybe it's better to admit that I do fear him, Revive Phenex was a master healer when he could be bothered.

He was the reason our clan boasted the fewest deaths in both wars.

"You called for me, remember, little brother?" There was a hint of irritation in his voice, though as of now I couldn't tell if it stemmed from worry or just plain impatience. "I seem to recall you stressing the importance of this trip, though for the life of me I have no idea why you would want to do something this... stressful after the evening you had. With how much you seem to complain all the time we're together, I would have assumed that you would prefer bed rest over something like this."

"Didn't you get the part that I didn't want to see you?" For all his intelligence, Revive seemed to be able to play the idiot sometimes. "Just go away or something, I don't want to have to deal with you just after passing out in front of my betrothed. Goodness that was embarrassing."

I grabbed the pillow I was resting on to shield my eyes from the light, as well as to muffle my voice as I groaned into the soft cushion. I don't know if he could understand me, but I spoke through the cloth anyway. "Besides, you already said no. If you're not going to help me out then just..."

Wait...

Did he just?

I all but jumped off the the bed to stare blankly at my brother. I quickly noted that I was still in my party clothing though all the small imperfections have been sorted out presumably by Revive's flames, but that wasn't really my primary concern; I just needed to make sure I heard him correctly. "You said trip?"

I look around the area and saw that, yes there was a bed in the room, but other than that the place looked nothing like my chambers in my palace, or the family castle. A quick glance towards where the windows were supposed to be and I found that instead of the massive panes of magically enhanced glass, there were smaller, more compact viewing ports that revealed an opalesque horizon speeding by as my eyes followed the river of color.

Well, a least now I know I am not having some anxiety attack, this was just mild motion sickness.

The room was moving, slightly, so much so that you could barely feel the light swaying, but that wasn't caused by some brain tumor or the like. The room was actually moving. It ht me too late that we weren't in my castle, or strictly in the Underworld anymore; we were on a multidimensional train to earth and that only left the question of where exactly on earth.

I had a feeling I knew where, but the more troubling thought was the reason he was taking me.

"You begged me to take you so why do you seem so surprised?" He seemed innocent when he asked his little question. With upturned eyes and a small patronizing smile, I almost believed that he really was wondering why I seemed to agitated, especially since it was true that once upon a time, I asked him for a very specific favor.

"Yeah, I did. Notice how I emphasized that last word? DID? You shot me down faster than mother did when father first attempted to court her and played the 'You're in no position to make demands' Card." And he was such an ass about it too that night. "I know you brother, and just like how I can be crazy sometimes, you never take back something you say unless the circumstances are dire."

Revive Phenex was not to be fucked with, unless he was the one doing the fucking. We of The Phenex were known to be as steadfast and enduring as our immortality implied, and Revive was a textbook example of how stubborn we could be when it came to the simplest of things. If he says something, anything at all, as long as the logic of it is sound, he will never take it back. Commitment defined the man, making him stick out like a sore thumb in a world where one day you're 'in' and the next day you're 'out'.

There were very few who could talk him out of a course of action or change his opinion. Like now, when he once vowed not to help me until I fulfilled some unknown objective of his. After making that decision there is no way he would ever help me out unless it was a matter of life and death.

He chuckled awkwardly with a smile that seemed to hide pain and a hint of fear rather than express joy as he scratched his head in a rare moment of perturbation. That lead me to the realization that it was, in fact, a life and death situation that caused him to help me, though from the way he laughed I assumed that it was his life in the balance instead of mine.

"About that... Let's just say I changed my mind and now we're going on this little field trip of yours." The way he smiled, crooked and forced, as he found a recliner and all but collapsed into it said it all. "Now what exactly are we going to be doing this fine night? You just got engaged after all. Maybe we should do something fun like taking part in another one of those harebrained schemes of yours."

No, no, no brother dear. You're not getting away from me that easily. I could feel my mouth twist in a mockery of a smile as the thought dawned on me. Of those who could most easily influence the adamant Revive, there was one on the very top of the list that crushed all opposition.

"Mother put you up to this, didn't she?"

He seemed to shrink as he sank even deeper into the luxurious couch, though it was definitely not to because he was enjoying the heavenly sensation of the Underworld's upholstery. He sighed so deeply I thought his soul would soon fly out of his mouth along with all the air in the room before he leveled a defeated and shaken glare.

I couldn't help it anymore.

"Yes, laugh all you want brother, but I did what I had to do to survive." He defended himself, halfheartedly, as he remembered whatever horrors he had experienced at mother's hand. "I would dread to be in Zechy's shoes right now, or Ru-nii's, but I stand by my belief that it's better that they suffer rather than I. You're getting what you want as well, yes? Just be grateful that we're not in their place right now and make the best of it."

And then suddenly it wasn't as funny anymore. Even I had to shudder at that thought, mother was... extremely creative when it came to putting fear into our hearts, No one knew that more than Sirzechs Lucifer himself.

There's a story most devil's know which told the tale of how Lasairona Haagenti fought off an entire unit of Fallen, not just a single killer, when they came to end the Scion of the Gremory Family. It was a very vivid tale of blood and gore; in her rage, our mother didn't use magic but instead used her physical and martial prowess to utterly decimate the would be assassins. ith technical skill rivaling machines and an aura so soul-shattering that it is said around a quarter of the Fallen fell on their own poisoned blades after witnessing what our mother did to their comrades.

They weren't the only ones to witness that spectacle, and among the eyes of the other witnesses to the ruthless and cruel efficiency of our mother, one pair remains open: The eyes of Sirzechs Gremory. And while the Underworld praised her as a hero for defending a child with such tenacity when she could have easily ran for her own safety, Sirzechs whispered words of terror into our eldest brother's ears.

Words that haunted us all to this day.

Before they attacked, Lana-oba-san said that if I didn't behave she would do unspeakable things to me.

I didn't behave.

Of course, as her children, we didn't know if this outlandish claim was true or not, but that didn't mean that we were stupid enough to try and find out.

"Why only you though?" We both wanted to stray from the topic of how frightening our mother could be, so we moved on to the, shall we say, 'happiest' part of the ordeal. "You managed to escape, alone it would seem, but how did you do it?"

"That's actually why I'm here." He admitted sheepishly, suddenly finding the floor a lot more interesting, and funny as he chuckled weakly. "I might have made this my excuse to get the hell out of the part of hell."

"That's... understandable actually..." And it really was. There was a reason I was more at ease with the idea of helping Revive out with whatever nefarious scheme he had in mind than allowing our mother to know about my comings and goings. I would rather suffer and die at the hands of my brother rather than my mother any day, and he made the very same decision. When it came to standing by his words: not helping me with what I needed, or being in the presence of our mother when she was angry, he would sooner serve me hand and foot than stay in such close proximity to mother.

Alright, that takes care of the why, and the when, where, and who will be revealed shortly, but what about the how?

"But that doesn't explain how you got the meeting-"

I couldn't continue since the air suddenly shrieked with the tell-tale sound of breaks being deployed, a light tremor shaking the entire cabin as our speed decreased. The shaking wasn't as bad as it should have been considering the fact that the facade of our Multidimensional Transport System resembled the locomotives or old rather than this century's bullet trains, but the high pitched ringing was enough to derail that train of thought entirely.

It didn't matter what black magic my brother had to use to arrange this, but whatever I have to say that eldritch ritual he performed worked perfectly as the feel of something dark and damp brushed against my senses.

As strange as it was, I couldn't say that it was something foreign; after enough training, I started to feel the same dark presence looming over Kuoh Academy whenever I came to visit.

"Are you coming or not?" My brother was already out the door when he called me over, impatience in his voice as the ass didn't even wait long enough for me to get out of bed before waking off.

It was easy enough to fall in step beside him after a few paces, but I was thinking! It's not like he couldn't have waited a few more seconds.

"Stop that."He chided firmly from out of nowhere, and soon I was looking straight at the cold eyes of surgeon who wielded both healing and harm with impunity. All pretense of joking was gone as I looked at the man who dealt with the sharks of the information industry on a daily basis. "Spacing out. I won't have you doing anything stupid under my watch, especially after I worked so hard making this happen." Yeah right. If Revive worked hard then that meant that the world was ending. The asshole never worked hard, and I disliked him even more since he was just that good.

"You still haven't told me why you arranged this in the first place." I retorted before resuming my walk, passing around him without a second thought as I made my way to the exit.

"Personal reasons, mostly because I was curious as to why you asked to meet them in the first place." He replied from behind me, and though I couldn't see him I was sure he had some self satisfied smile on his face. "This meeting would have pushed through regardless of your presence, though now instead of me probing to see what could have caught your interest, it'll be you trying to get what you want from them, whatever that may be."

Bullshit. When Revive wants to know something hidden from him, the last thing he would do is go up to them and ask.

Still, I wasn't here to look the gift horse in the mouth so when we finally reached the exit, I decided to pay more attention to the fact that we just stepped off a train and into a rather large living room instead a normal train station. It was most likely a spell Revive prepared beforehand; he was a regulator during some of the more prominent games, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for this dimension to have been created by him. Pocket Dimensions weren't anything new, but what did catch my attention was the strange, cold aura that permeated the very air of the dimension.

But that didn't make any sense, since if the energy that made up the false dimension was not his, that would mean that someone else was the one maintaining it.

"Ah, so you're finally here, typical." A bored drawl floated lazily from the couch in the center of the lavish room, as the 'man' who spoke didn't even bother to look up from the book in his hand. In truth, I only say it was a man since the voice was undeniably masculine in its rich tenor, though the figure that seemed to be reading was a form wrought from total darkness. "Please tell me you won't waste more of my time and get this over with already."

"Calm down, Drake." My brother offered calmingly before allowing a small smile on his lips. "My brother just wants to ask you something."

It was weird, but I could swear that the darkness turned up from the book it read and quirked its eyebrow at me. To repeat, this was just a humanoid shadow and, for all intents and purposes, flat to the naked eye, bit I was sure it was looking straight in our direction, more specifically at me while it chewed on the idea of humoring me or not. I was going crazy if I was reduced to the level of giving something as blank as a shadow facial expressions.

I'm not sure how, but the presence definitely felt like it was frowning. Quite impressive considering it had no eyes, no mouth, and no cheeks to provide the expression.

"One sentence, no more than ten words." Was the flat reply, but it was all I needed.

I centered myself with a breath, and when I had built enough confidence and double checked every contingency I had, I brought my demands to the table.

"Can I have your daughter?"

A beat

"Weren't you just engaged?" My brother was quick to follow up, frantic disbelief in his eyes as took me by the shoulder and shook me like a rattle. "Are you insane?! Do you know how the Gremory Family would react to this? Do you think that, with the whole Sirzechs debacle, this would do anything to ease the tension between us? Do you think mother is going to let you live after hearing that the first thing you do after such a heartfelt speech is find another woman?"

"She would most likely think it's your fault again." He was the Casanova in the family, and he was the one mother blamed for Riser's old perverted tendencies in the first place, so pinning the blame on him wouldn't be too difficult. "If only you settled down like Ruval, then we wouldn't be having this problem."

"Why you little..." His desperation turned to anger as he shook me even more thoroughly.

It was nice to finally have the upper-hand, since we both know that even if Revive did turn on me and reveal what he knew of my plans to mother, it was so much more likely that she would deal with my annoying brother before entertaining the thought that I might be causing some trouble. Still, it all hinged on the decision of the shadow-person-thing, and as soon as Revive realized that, he ceased shaking me sat on the couch with the humanoid blob of darkness.

"Drake..." His voice was melodious, almost enthralling as he all but begged the shadow to refuse with just one word.

"Sure." Only fall flat with such a blunt response. I felt the darkness grin at both me and my brother as he started to get a bit more unstable as the threat of death by mother became more possible every second.

"What the hell are you doing?!" His inner fire glowed fiercely through his eyes, as they turned from deep azure into threatening vermilion glaring at the darkness in betrayed anger. "You're just going to give away your daughter just like that? To my brother of all people? Do you know what he does to women in bed?"

How rude. I haven't gotten any since before I died the first time.

"Well, he once lived with you, so I guess he has some aptitude for taking care of wild, dangerous, but somewhat stupid pets. Also, last time I checked, this isn't my fault to begin with." The shadow shrugged, though I could feel the victorious grin somewhere under all that black, as it spoke to a distraught Revive. "Your family started this problem of mine, so I think it's appropriate that the more mature brother would try and take responsibility."

"Take responsibility? Are you some kind of maiden now?" My brother spat in his anger, his voice hadn't increased in volume but the tone was so venomous that I was surprised nothing was melting. "How is it my responsibility that you had a daughter, when you were married and already had five children? Five! Forget infidelity, which you consider a turn on you sexist fuck, but how is it my fault you stuck your dick into some whore and impregnated her? You can't say I forced it in since I can't even see something that small, and even if I could grab it, you're so quick on the trigger that nothing would have ended up inside her at all.."

Wait... what?

"How can it be anyone else's responsibility?" While my brother's tone was low and mocking, the shadow's voice rose to a bellowing volume that caused the shadow itself to ripple. "I didn't even know it was possible for us to get drunk. You were the last one sober, therefore everything that happened that night was your fault. I'd have thought you would need your wits about you for your night time affairs, but last I heard, you haven't been able to satisfy a woman for around a decade. And you have the gall to call me impotent."

Is this happening?

"It's not my fault you're such a weak shit when it comes to alcohol. And you are the impotent one you insufferable idiot." My brother was growling, his expression contorted into one of rage as he continued the strange debate. "I specifically remember telling you to stop, but did you listen? Of course not. You just had to prove that taking more than three dozen cocktails, magical or otherwise, is enough to get you utterly shitfaced."

Are they fighting about a time my brother got this man drunk?

"I'm what amounts to be a corpse! How in your nine hells does a fucking corpse get drunk, you bird brained buffoon? No matter what happens, it should be impossible for something that is basically dead, as in no bodily functions, to be affected by alcohol!" When my brother growled, the shadow roared his response. "But if I'm not mistaken I tasted a hint of your tears inside my drink; so yes my getting drunk as well as all the subsequent mistakes I made after were all your fault."

They were glaring, or my brother was glaring at some black shadow that I think was glaring back, with the crowns of their heads crashing against, yeah the shadow was bumping heads with my brother, when I cleared my throat. "Um, can I have her now, so I can leave you two alone to do whatever... this is." I gestured towards them, taking a couple of steps back towards where the door was as they stared at me like deer in the headlights.

Really, did they forget that I was still in the room? My words were what basically started this, so how did they just ignore that?

Well that moment soon ended as the shadow swiftly bounded to me before my brother could react, it's once normal shame bending twisting and bulging as it closed the distance instantaneously. The next thing I knew a large box, split from the shadow as it returned to its initial form.

It looked like a simple cardboard box after the shadow faded and what was once a rectangular prism covered in black lightened to a moderate shade of beige. I would have checked to open it, since I don't think people actually give people giftwrapped, but the shadow once again spoke.

"Is that all, child?" He was getting impatient and somewhat excited, though there was a sense of relief in his voice, as if I did take away a major headache from his hands. "If it is, then I would suggest you leave before your brother decides to try and stop you."

And right on cue, a massive pillar of flame met a wall of misty darkness, Revive, sporting a panicked expression as his flames rose, threatening to burn the entire room.

"Thank you, your Majesty." I gave him one last bow, again the sound of fire meeting mist ringing in my ears as another one of Revive's shots was blocked.

"You have done the House of Tepes a great service by taking her away." He replied with what I assumed to be a smile as the shadow, a special type of magic unique to King Drakul Vladimir Tepes the current ruler to the Tepes Faction, turned to face the second son of the Phenex Family.

There was no need for more words, but as I walked out of the room and found myself back on the train, I couldn't help but laugh internally at the foolish mistake the King had made.

He had just given away his strongest weapon and he didn't even know it.

* * *

 _(Sorry Guys, not part of the story but if I'm doing something like this, I'm doing it my way This is going to be a corner before the author's notes if additions are required.)_

 _Character Profile_

 _ **Name:** Riser Phenex_

 _ **Class:** High/ maybe Ultimate of he takes the Promotion Tests right now_

 _ **Master:** Self_

 _ **Affiliation:** Devils, specifically the House of Phenex_

 _ **Revealed powers** (Universe of Origin if applicable)_

 _ **Basic**_

 _Pyrokinesis: As the third son of the Phenex Family, Riser boasts considerable mastery over the classical element of Fire. Though his flames are not at par with those of his brother, Ruval whose inferno was said to surpass that of their father and approximate the heat of the Crimson Emperor himself, he more than makes up for the lack of strength in versatility. What should have been the control of flame has evolved into the power to create and control heat itself, it being transferred whether absorbed or emitted in the form of flames of even beams of energy. With this power, Riser is able to burn vast areas at extremely high temperatures using significantly less power, as well as freeze or chill once he begins drawing the heat out of his surroundings. It is unknown whether he can control the frozen landscape, but there is no doubting his ability to induce cold is as effective as calling forth scathing flames._

 _Aerokinesis: Though not as extensive as his ability to change flame, Riser possesses average ability when manipulating the surrounding air. He can force it into the shape of an impossibly long and thin blade to cut away at opposition, as well as into a massive hammer to blow foes apart with mighty gales and massive maelstroms. Defensively, he can force the air into a cocoon around him that would cut away at any opposition on a molecular level, eroding all but the most durable weapons in the Underworld when the come in contact as well as producing a piercing ringing audible to enemies as they strike at him. Though not much use in combat, his ability to create and control the waves in the air allow him to communicate and gather information from unsuspecting victims, and the ability to create vacuums holds untold potential_

 _High Speed Regeneration: Exactly what it sounds like, no fancy description required._

 _Miscellaneous Devil Powers: Teleportation, Minor Elemental Magic, Familiar Binding, Contracting (Geas), Flight. (will be discussed more in-depth when required)_

 _ **Nasuverse** (See List of Magic Spells on Typemoon wiki for more info)_

 _Thought Acceleration and Memory Partition: Borrowed from another universe, thought acceleration allows for Riser's mind to process information at impossible speeds and reducing the time between receiving and manipulating information to zero. This allows him to perceive stimuli instantaneously as well as process the information that he could react in the most effective way in any situation. It should be noted that though he could perceive things at speeds at par with the speeds of light, actually reacting that quickly is another matter. On Memory Partition, the multiple thought processes it allows it what enables Riser to adjust his spells at such minuscule and precise increments. Most of his spells, such as manipulation of heat rely on the added calculating power Memory Partition provides. Currently, he can produce 7 rooms, though there is no telling if this will increase or not._

 _Reinforcement: As a Devil, Riser's body can absorb more magic more thoroughly before reaching a limit, enhancing his physical ability to a greater degree than normally produced. That is to say the difference between his reinforced abilities and his normal abilities are greater than the difference between a human's abilities when under the same magic, thus is more effective as well as efficient. Though this is the case, he has yet to reach levels of durability on par with Sairaorg Bael, though with practice it is definitely possible._

 _Magical Energy: Via the principles of Mana and Od, Riser is able in exponentially increase his reserves by taking internal energy, or the Demonic Power that he produces himself, and mixing it with the external energy and subsequently using that power to cast magic. As the DXD universe is still somewhat considered to be in the Age of the Gods, the mana in the air is much more abundant and is replaced much more easily, allowing this to be a sustainable method of using magic even when something else is siphoning the energy in the atmosphere. The only true problem arises when magic is no longer present in the atmosphere, such as specialized domains or prisons, but then Riser can always revert to using his own internal energy as a Devil. It should be noted that this method is only used in combat, and during training Riser works to increase his natural reserves as to not be crippled if the mana in the air suddenly disappears._

 ** _Original Techniques_**

 _ **Kancho, That which has no other name:** A spell that has the form of a spear, it is currently the strongest spell he has shown to be able to use. The spear itself is a powerful magical bolt in its own right, able to pierce the defenses of any High class Devils and some Ultimate class devils if it is released the instant it is successfully formed. It is the charging process that allows it's power to grow as it siphons the energy from the air, both to boost its power on impact as well as to increase the rate at which it devours energy. Even when released, it continues to consume the energy of the surrounding area, increasing the speed and power of the projectile as long as it continues to exist. If released at maximum power, it has a range of five kilometers and fully charged it can easily vaporize something as large as Mt Everest. It is important to note thought that charging the weapon too much is a dangerous since the blast radius exceeds the range of the actual projectile._

* * *

AN:

You guys and gals remember when I said that longer chapters aren't going to be a trend... yeah, well sorry to say that they will be now (don't tell my beta) Seriously though, between co-editing my dirt poor quality chapters and writing out new ones, its much easier to just go and write some monster of a chapter, edit it and rinse and repeat rather than write and manage several short ones.

I tried to make this short, but as time passed, I felt I needed to add more and more... then this happened.

Just a few comments, the powerlist will be included, though for now this is Riser exclusive, maybe that will change after a few more chapters. This list will be updated, but slowly as the story progresses on. Sad to say, for the sake of spoilers, there will never be a truly complete list until the end of the story, so bits an pieces scattered in between chapters.

If any of you thinks last chapter fucked up canon, what do you think now?

I just destroyed one major canon plot point, for the lulz.

I won't be taking a break anymore, I managed to read a few novels and I am currently content with my knowledge, but that can change anytime, and longer chapters mean longer pauses between chapters, so sorry if you are the type who likes short and frequent updates.

For reviews, I appreciate them, but to both guests and members, mostly guests, please keep in mind that the review section is not a forum. You guys can ask questions, addressed to me, but if you want to ask someone else about my work, then send them a PM. Just a friendly reminder.

I'll try to reply to all questions asked, so guests make accounts so I can actually reply that way. It's not like you have to write to keep said account online.

I'm dead tired, I just had a few exams, so I'm going to sleep.

Oh and to all those interested, its not really new, but I fixed up chapter 7 a while back. Most of you might have seen the fine work Vhostym does if you reread the whole thing during the one month dry spell.

See you all next time, maybe.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: ...I think that you should get some rest...

* * *

"Are you one of them?"

I wasn't into necrophilia.

The very thought of getting down and dirty anywhere near dead bodies was disgusting, so don't get me started on my opinion on fucking the repulsive things. The dead were sacred, meant to be held in reverence and respect. No matter what they were in life, they deserved to rest in peace , not be kept in some depraved madman's closet waiting to be ravaged like a parody of a sexdoll.

Fawning over the dead wasn't a pastime for the sane.

But that's not what I felt when I looked into what was supposed to be a mockery of a proper coffin sitting in the middle of my study.

Though I stared at a corpse, there was no revulsion, no hint of discomfort, no trace of loathing.

There was only wonder.

Why?

She was beautiful.

It might have been trite to say such a thing, but that was the first thought that rose from the depths of my mind as I stared at her image, transfixed even as time slowed around me.

If her mother looked anything like her the I was beginning to understand why the King of the Tepes Faction decided to do away with his prejudice for a night of passion.

She was a small thing, curled up against the corner of the box as her hair scattered around her in rivulets of the purest starlight. Even as she was clothed in the drab garments of a servant, her smooth pale skin boasted marblesque flawlessness reflecting the low light while the faint makings of an impossible blush bloomed on her cheeks as she turned her eyes to the new source of light.

Her vibrant orbs were slowly dying, emotion draining from eyes that glimmered with the lightest of reds to the darkest of violets, and her expression was one of hopeless resignation. It didn't matter; her features, though subdued and flattened by the weight of apathy, lost none of their allure. Gentle and elegant, her face was one of innocent seduction. And even as the light dimmed in her eyes and stoicism robbed the smile from her lips, the radiance she excluded was something that wouldn't be out of place in the realms of goddesses: a nameless quality that stirred desire regardless of her intent.

I had been faced with many women in the scant few months I'd been in this world, and in that time I reveled in their beauty. They were each different, each with their own strengths and weaknesses and with their own unique quality that bewitched the senses.

None of them seemed to be able to hold a candle to the vulnerable bundle cowering in a box before me.

I didn't know when my magic fell away, or how long I held her stare but with grace and poise befitting royalty, her form rose, like fog before the sunrise almost as if her body was lifted up by the air itself until she stood to her full height and looked up at me with eyes of a woman broken but not quite shattered.

Magic allowed me to feel the heat radiating from her cheeks as my eyes perceived her blush. A tinge of rose standing apart amongst her deathly pallor.. The air guided the sharp scent of European winter into my nostrils, and even as she slowly, fearfully raised her hand to brush her soft palm on my cheek I could do nothing but stare into eyes that spun with the hypnotic light of a kaleidoscope.

"If by one of them, you mean a devil, then yes, I suppose I am." This was a negotiation of terms, the makings of an alliance, not some midnight rendezvous; of course I would behave appropriately even if she seemed a bit more addled than most. I calmly noted that her smooth palm was surprisingly warm as I flashed her a polite smile. "But something tells me that's not what you're referring to, is it?"

"Oh." Sweet music filled my ears even as her hand fell away, her expression downcast, and the soft line of her lips dipped into a frown. "So you do not know of them either." There was a surprisingly childish tone in her disappointment, but even more surprising was what she did next.

Calmly, and much too gracefully for anyone in her state of mind, she all but glided out of her cardboard box and settled onto the couch, sitting with posture fit for any princess as she drew in a solemn breath. "Well?"

"Yes, on to business then." Wow, that comfortable atmosphere died quickly, and I didn't know whether to be disappointed or elated that her vulnerable persona, while lovable, was still hidden behind the steel and poise of a princess. I admit that conducting business with a mentally compromised corpse would have been easier, but if she had even half the wits of Rias this should be an enjoyable enough exercise. "I don't suppose you know why you are here?"

Her small shoulders, exposed by the tear in her dress rather than the elegance of an artist's aesthetic, shrugged as she hummed thoughtfully. "I am... aware of my position in the family, though I must admit that I did not foresee this. I would hazard a guess that I am some form of offering to you, more than likely for something one of my more... esteemed brothers have done?"

This was just such a wondrous surprise; not just the way her eyes began to shine with hidden intelligence, or the way her expression twisted to display wry disappointment, but in the way she could express them in the first place. I wasn't about to lie and say I hadn't expected her to be a drooling corpse when I finally claimed her, but I wasn't the least bit dismayed when the beginnings of resistance stirred within her voice. She still had some steel in her even after all she had been through; she must have been cut from an entirely different cloth than all the other pathetic b-list villains here.

Breaking her might be the most fun I would have since... well, since I arrived.

At the very least it would be a tad more challenging than Issei.

Oh and on a side note, it turns out that the Tepes Family had more than a bit of history of having wild children. Which would explain how Revive and Lord Drakul had such an amicable relationship, if you get past the scathing fire and deadly mist that is.

"Not exactly." A few measured steps carried me from the edge of the box to the couch across from her before I seated myself and looked into twin amethysts, scintillating even in the low light. "To tell you the truth, I requested you personally, and your father seemed to have no objections. In fact, I would say that he seemed happy to be rid of you, or maybe that was just his personal grudge against my brother I was seeing."

She quirked an elegant eyebrow as she processed my words, her eyes darkening once more until there was only a hint that she was more than a corpse, or a doll. What must this little girl have gone though to be able to kill her emotions so easily, and yet still possess enough empathy that she was capable of feeling?

Her persona had changed drastically once more, and gone were any and all traces of emotion, leaving only cold blooded logic as she smiled.

It was definitely a dangerous thing, one of empyrean beauty that revealed none of the sharp iron will I knew she had.

"I'm not exactly surprised. As I said before, I am aware of my position in the family, and giving away concubines has been a common enough practice. Though I must say that you will be sorely disappointed if that is your purpose." Are you kidding me? I told her that she was basically, and very literally, my bitch now. How can she stay so damn calm? "On that note, If you wanted a concubine then I would assume that father would have either given you better choices or denied you outright. But that isn't your purpose, is it, Lord Phenex?"

Of course she was far more intelligent than canon gave her credit for, but by now I was used to being surprised enough that it didn't show in my expression. Still, I could tell the my own control over my expression was at least an order of magnitude inferior to hers, and that while Revive could see through me I don't doubt that he would have a much harder time reading the little girl before me.

Then again, that was probably more due to our relationship than anything else, but I'm sure he would have had to do his fair share of reading strangers. The Media Business here and in the human world only differ in degrees of ruthlessness, as well as our skill of 'hiding dead bodies' being much better than theirs

Back on topic; let's just see how long that facade lasts, shall we?

"It is true that I asked for you personally, but definitely not for the reason you proposed." I tried for the most sheepish smile I could muster as I lowered my gaze and bashfully scratched the back of my head. "You may not have heard, but I was officially engaged just yesterday, and it would be in poor taste if I were to bed a different girl after such an occasion. No, I took you with a more... pragmatic purpose in mind."

That seemed to garner her curiosity, but if the way her expression subtly shifted from stoic apathy to mild interest was calculated, I couldn't tell. "If it's all the same to you, Lord Phenex, I have already guessed at your intentions twice, and twice they have missed the mark. So in the interests of time, I will ask directly: despite being aware of all the rumors circling around me, you requested me personally. Why?"

Ah yes, those rumors; if one was to understand exactly why Valerie Tepes was such a pariah, anathema in the eyes of the race of Vampires as a whole, one must be aware of her reputation.

Being a Dhampyr, a child between a Vampire and a Human, she was reviled and resented by all, heedless of the status of her parents. This treatment was intensified by the fact that she was the first daughter of the current Leader of the Tepes Faction, and being a woman in a faction which is chauvinist to a fault didn't help either. The resentment towards her was so great that her name afforded her no privilege and her own father threw her into the dungeon with the other dhampirs, where they served as servants for some of the maids and butlers who worked in the palace.

Still, I would guess that her life wasn't quite that bad considering she still had time to play with the other children, after having won over the hearts of the servants when the nobility rejected her. Her life was hard, hard enough to make a child bitter and cruel, but not so much so that her ability to love and feel was lost. She learned to work here, she learned to think here, and most of all she learned to steel herself and maybe even hope despite the conditions she was suffering under.

She managed to work up the nerve to love a little boy and watch him leave, going as far as to serve as a distraction when he escaped into the night.

And then her supposed insanity came about.

She was just a child when she first came in contact with them; the night after she suffered through her punishment for saving the boy she loved as a little brother, they came.

And the story went: In the night, the disowned daughter of the Tepes wailed of monsters and spirits in the dark corners of the dungeon, and her voice was so great and terrible that even the keeper shared in the chill of her own terror.

Panicked, Lord Tepes himself came down to confront whatever caused his daughter terror, though not out of the love he had for his flesh and blood, but in fear that whatever caused her to scream might have been a threat to them all. In the end, what motivated the Lord of the Tepes Faction mattered not, as when he came down armed with the great magic he wielded, he confronted a great and terrible...

Nothing.

His daughter lay in a corner screaming about monsters, but there was nothing in the room.

This incident afforded her some privileges, some form of privacy. But those privileges only served as a prison. For on that day, Valerie Tepes was labeled insane and thrown into an even deeper dungeon so that she might waste away and die, as no one under his rule was willing to risk Lord Drakul's wrath over the blood of a maddened halfbreed.

If only they knew what caused her to scream, things might have gone down in history quite differently.

But I saw her worth, and the worth she had to the woman I was to marry. It would be such a waste if I didn't bring out her fullest potential.

"Gasper Vladi. Is it safe for me to assume that you remember him?" I smiled as whatever facade she had built crumbled away to reveal astonishment and a small tinge of hope at the mention of the boy's name and that told me all I needed to know. It looks like I didn't need to worry after all. "I need you to spend some time with him. You and him, together, just like old times; that would be enjoyable for the both of you, no?"

The joy in her expression was dazzling, her lips curving into an innocent smile while her eyes glimmered like the stars in the deep night. But that soon faded as suspicion clouded her countenance and caution rose with distrust into her eyes. She had been Fate's chewtoy for long enough that she knew the ways of the world; that good must always come hand in hand with bad. I had to give her credit, she knew that there was going to be a catch to all of this, especially when I had what she wanted most in this world and offered it to her before naming its price.

"Why?" Caution laced her voice as she faced me with unshakable resolve; the very same resolve that allowed her to hold on and hope against hope despite her circumstances. I knew that face very well, it was the one that told me that no matter what I could threaten her with, she would rather die than do anything to harm her precious little friend.

"He's actually having a bit of trouble being around others, so I thought to grab one of his childhood friends to help him out." I thumped my chest with pride as I gave her a self-satisfied smile. "You really were the only option I could use, with how my brother knows your father and how small Gasper's circle of friends was. Still, as long as you do help him out, then everything will be worth it."

I have given her freedom, and treated her with as much kindness as the situation allowed. Now I give her what she wants most in the world, and the opportunity to continue to stay by his side and allow him to grow. I have given her no reason to distrust me, and every reason to accept my offer and claim the happiness she has been denied all of her life. The trap was set, and the main terms of our contract were written. All that was left was to add in the fine print.

With a deft movement, I take a small object from the pocket and place it on the surface of the glass table.

A simple, if not elegantly crafted, red bishop.

"I need you to act as my bishop though, because right now this is the only way for you to be able to interact with Gaspar Vladi: Bishop of Rias Gremory." I speak with an air of finality as the conversation reached its climax. "Accepting my offer of Peerage would mean acknowledging me as your King and submitting primarily to me and me alone. Knowing this, do you accept these terms?"

I could see the traces of deep thought in her eyes as she weighed her options carefully, her mind racing to bring her each and every scenario in which the contract would work against her interests. She knew this was a bond even more powerful than the one that was already in place. Her father had given her to me as a servant so by right she was already my property. This was her selling her very being to me for a chance to see Gaspar again. She couldn't know what else I had in mind, and she couldn't be sure if I was telling the truth or not, but she knew that this was her only chance to be able to see her beloved playmate again.

For all the minor niceties and as circuitously as I put it, she could see that before her were two simple, all-encompassing options: She would live as my bishop or die.

She knew the corner she was trapped in, but still she spoke with the grace and nobility of her house. "The moment you try to harm Gasper through me is the moment I drink Holy Water."

I grinned.

"You can have me swear on my soul that I will never willingly try to harm a hair on your precious little boy's head if you so wish it." The magical parchment emerged in the glow of a magic circle before settling itself on the table beside the bishop, along with an extravagant fountain pen. "Now, do we have a deal?"

"That is as much as I will ask. As long as I'll be able to help Gasper." She replied with a dissatisfied frown before slowly reaching for the pen and wordlessly jamming the elegant writing implement into her arm.

With her own blood she signed her name next to mine, and as the magic of the Geas took effect and bound our souls with the content of the contract, I couldn't help but smile victoriously.

"Now," She began dismissing the deep gash in her arm as her innate regeneration took hold; the gash slowly fading as the pen danced upon the parchment. Meanwhile, I stood, a sly smirk still on my face as her hand gingerly took up the Evil Piece and examined it a bit more closely. "How will this-"

She didn't have an opportunity to finish her sentence as I walked through the table and closed her lips with mine.

* * *

Alright, final check:

My hair was dyed a dull, or maybe matte, black and I had a pair of over sized frames hanging on my face to project a little more of the youthful, almost childish, bookworm in me. My posture was straight and crisp, but it embodied the reliability and perfect poise of a butler rather than the authority and station of an emperor. A bit of magic took away a few inches off my height so even if I stood out as a tall individual, it was to the extent that I looked like a tall student rather than one of the staff.

All in all, I was once more in my usual disguise whenever I visited Kuoh incognito, the very same disguise that bumped into Asia and co one fine day as well as secured a job as one of the secondary staff.

Speaking of which...

The clean sound of knuckles striking wood preceded my voice as I my eyes landed on the very expensive looking door. Now, I knew I put it here somewhere... There it was. Now just give me a few seconds to set the whole thing up and...

"Come in."

Click.

It was difficult to describe Issei's face at the moment, but if I were to try I would say he was making his best goldfish expression, with eyes so wide that it was comical and a jaw hanging so long it might as well have touched the floor. I swear the blue anime lines, much like the impossible sweat-drop, anger cross, and red blush-lines, were glowing on his forehead as his expression flattened, like he seemed to lose his nose and what was once a human face suddenly seemed like it was a caricature harshly brought to life by a kindergartner's hand.

To be perfectly honest, one of the reasons why I took a job like this was for these types of reveals.

"Suzaku? What the hell are you doing here?" When he finally regained his speech and basic motor functions, he made a show of having him by throwing an accusing finger at me and shouting so loud that the teacher in the next room actually shouted for us to quiet down. His surprise was not unfounded after all, considering the fact that he was called in here for something a bit more... mundane than what would usually go on in the Crimson Dragon Emperor's life.

It was safe to say he didn't expect me of people waiting for him when he got here since I sent for him through proper channels.

"Oh Issei." The surprise that lit up my smiling face was so much more graceful than the look of unadulterated shock still visible on the camera screen as I put it away. "Perfect timing. Please have a seat and we'll begin shortly."

"Wait, what?" He blinked, his head swiveling desperately as he took in the empty classroom and my sitting in the desk reserved for the teacher. "You? You're the one who did this?"

"Yes, and no." With a casual air, I took up the stack of papers resting on my desk and straightened them once more, my eyes quickly scanning through the assorted documents as I made my reply. "Technically, this is your fault since you chose to be absent for a week and two days. I am facilitating though, so it should make this time a bit less... dull for the both of us, don't you think?"

"Well, yeah, I guess it would be cool if you're the- WAIT!" Seeing him tone down a bit, his posture relaxing as he looked to the side and placed a hand behind his head, I thought he would have settled down now but again my presence just seemed so foreign that his disbelief resurfaced in a heartbeat. Heavy steps took him from the doorway to directly before my table as the hands once guarded with dragon's scales sent tremors through the table's surface. "YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT I OFFERED TO SHARE MY COLLECTION WITH A TEACHER?"

"To put it bluntly," With tranquility that didn't suit the situation I met his eyes and gracefully smiled. "Yes."

"Somebody kill me." For what it was worth, I could somehow understand where he was coming from, and really the thought of unwittingly sharing porn of all things with an authority figure was enough to make anyone die of embarrassment. Issei, for all his perverse interests, didn't seem like the type to so blatantly speak of it with just about anyone. After all, he seemed to feel a bit of shame whenever his parents were to bring it up in front of Rias, so I'm guessing that he still has some sliver of shame left. If he didn't like his parents talking about his interests with others, I was almost certain that he would hate for teachers to suddenly know.

And this was all the proof I needed.

"For what it's worth, I wasn't a member of the staff until recently, so it's not like you've been inviting a teacher to your viewing sessions all this time." Invitations I declined time and time again, I might add. Though that didn't comfort him in the least as another sharp jolt shook the table as the boy flinched, the very thought causing him pain. Messing with the boy was as enjoyable as it was easy, but we had a schedule to keep and I could be professional when it was required. "Look, just take a seat and we can start when everyone else gets here."

The boy nodded lifelessly as I handed him the documents before he dragged himself to one of the seats closer to the window and all but collapsed into it, done with the world. I chuckled as I made out some words he muttered in the wind, sounding suspiciously like "first my parents, and now my teacher, is Asia-chan going to be next?" Well, if the Omake with Asia trying to seduce him was canon, then yes but then he didn't need to hear that from me just yet.

So as we waited, I turned back to my papers.

I must say that sitting down and doing something so stupidly perfunctory is surprisingly cathartic, unmistakably different from pounding an opponent into submission with might and magic, but no less relaxing. Grading papers was a break from all the hustle and bustle of climbing to the top of the food chain, a small reprieve from all the fighting, whether it be in the training ring or on the battlefield. Sure, initially there was a plan: being a teacher here would give me an excuse to remain in close proximity to monitor, though not necessarily interact with, my fiancee and those around her. But I've genuinely come to enjoy the small and somewhat tedious task of grading papers.

Though maybe the fact that it could also be considered exercising my Memory Partition has something to do with my enjoyment. It's certainly the least troublesome of my training exercises as well as the most peaceful. When I think about it, maybe it was the efficiency of 'working while taking a break' that makes it all the more enjoyable.

But most of all, laughing at the stupid mistakes of students was simply too much fun to pass up.

So I made sure to choose a position that would allow me to complete all my objectives in one fell swoop; namely as the teacher in charge of conducting remedial classes when the need arises.

Since these particular classes only occur after normal ones, or during the weekend, I don't have to interact with the students on a regular basis unless they require the classes, namely they aren't doing very well or they need to make up classes due to an absence. The irregular hours, coupled with my supernatural checking speed, mean I can check in any time I want since I always manage to turn in my papers on time. This in turn grants me a bit more leeway when it comes to how I spent my time around the school. Of course, since the classes I teach are the ones for idiots or delinquents, it always provides me with endless entertainment as I spend my class hours 'setting them straight'.

And this was no exception, though this time I was conducting make-up classes for the second years of the Occult Research Club due to a "Club Retreat".

It was practically the perfect time to mess with them.

"Hey Issei?" The boy's lifeless eyes looked up from the numerous tests I gave him to meet mine. "What did you guys in the Occult Research Club actually do for the last ten days?"

I was curious to see how he would react to this situation because in truth, I had no idea. Even before, Issei was never the type to put any emphasis on the occult, and neither was he the person who knew how to keep his mouth shut. I'm not sure if Rias took the necessary steps to convince him not to talk about the supernatural with others, but even in the beginning, when he was just freshly turned, he went around asking people about Raynare, a girl who never really existed. To his friends, he made it no secret that the club afforded him opportunities to meet with cute girls, and even if they were under hypnosis, he allowed knowledge of the supernatural to leak to his parents.

He hasn't been introduced to the Student Council just yet, but he must know that the school is affiliated with devils. Given the harmless enough question, as well as his addled state of mind, there's no telling whether he will clam up or pour out his worries to me without reservation. It was simple curiosity that drove me to ask the question, and as emotions flashed in his eyes my curiosity awaited his answer.

This was just a way to kill time after all, his reply had no real bearing on my plans.

"I..." There was sorrow and regret in his voice as his eyes returned to the papers, pulled down by grief, shame, and something else rather than my own apathy. "I just wasted my time."

So it's despair then.

"Really? I recall you being very excited about spending time with all your friends." I encouraged him as the pen continued to dance in my hands, to the soft rhythm of checks and crosses. "What happened?"

There was silence for a moment, as the boy lazily turned from his papers to the window as the soft sunlight filtered through the clear windows. His eyes were showed the out of focus gaze of one reminiscing as the memories of his defeat at my hand, both of them, were brought up by my prodding. He drew out a long suffering sigh before shaking his head, the thought of his shame so great that he seemed compelled to speak about it to anyone who would listen, other than the peerage he had failed that is.

"Have you ever owed someone so much that you owed them everything?" His voice was that of a man remembering past happiness during present misery as he whispered into the wind, and if it wasn't for my magic those very words would have been lost even in the silence of the classroom. "I could give her anything, I could do everything right, I could be stronger, faster, smarter, better and it still wouldn't be enough to pay her back. I owe her so much that even if I were to serve her my whole life as a servant, it wouldn't be enough. I don't think it would ever be enough. Have you had a person like that?"

I shake my head.

"Well I have a person like that, and really all I want to do is to make her happy. After everything she did for me, the least I could do is make sure she keeps smiling. Then suddenly, she needed me." There was the dim light of a broken smile shining from his face before his expression darkened once more. "Finally, I had a chance to pay her back and prove to everyone, and to myself I guess, that she didn't make a mistake when she took me in. I could finally do something other than cause her even more trouble, and just maybe I could finally be the reason for her smile."

"Then you messed up, huh?" The casual way I said it struck him as hard as any of my blows that night, maybe even harder now that he could do nothing but accept the reality of the situation.

"No, if I messed up then that would mean we had a chance to win in the first place."He shook his head helplessly before reaching out towards the window, his eyes on the arm that was no longer his own. "Both that bastard and my partner told me that there was no real chance for us to win that fight, even if I gave my life trying. Now... now I don't know what to do anymore since I was just as useless as that bastard said I was."

So this is how the mighty harem king acts when he's knocked down a few pegs; I had thought it would be more satisfying to see him brought so low, but once again I'm mistaken. I thought he was the type who could eventually bounce back from something like this and come out stronger than ever but if he just stays in this state of lethargy then really he's no threat.

He's actually a liability now, so much so that it would be safer if I just took away his Boosted Gear before Rizevim decides to beat me to the punch and reveals himself a few novels too early.

But of course, no one would appreciate my efforts in protecting the world by relieving the boy of the Dragon. Even worse, everyone would think I did it to further my own power and agenda instead of making sure that such a game breaking ability didn't fall into the wrong hands. And well, they wouldn't be wrong, the ability to double my power every ten seconds was attractive. But the moment I took the gear would be the moment the Phenex and Gremory families would declare war on each other.

A war that would end with our loss the moment Lucy supports his family.

More accurately, if I sacrifice everyone besides myself, I would probably have a few days to master the Boosted Gear, as well as take advantage of Sephiroth Graal. However I don't know if that would be enough to overpower one of the members of the Top Ten. In the long run, I would have my victory after a long drawn out fight involving guerrilla warfare and a few of my own nasty tricks, but that is only if I survive against four of the strongest devils alive, two of which are the strongest since time immemorial. Maybe after months of intensive study, including the resources needed to conduct said study, I would be confident enough to run them into the ground with very little effort. But again, that is if I can survive being on the run for months against a motivated pair of super-devils.

We're not even including the other factions yet, most prominently the Khaos Brigade and all its little sub-organisations. If they somehow, even unwittingly, unite against me I'm sure to have no hope surviving for more than a week. Realistically, if I was to become the new Crimson Dragon Emperor, such an action would create waves that would reach the farthest corners of the supernatural world, and with the way I am now, those waves would consume me like tsunamis would helpless fishing vessels. I could play my cards perfectly and elude the Khaos Brigade, or I could sell my soul to the son of the Devil himself so that I would be safe from the current Morning Star, and Lord of the Flies, but the reality was that I couldn't stand against both simultaneously.

All my plans require time, time I won't have if I take the Gear from Issei, regardless of my motivations for doing so. That meant that if I did take the gear from him, I would have an impossible battle ahead of me, one that I would most definitely lose and that would just be wasting everyone's time.

But if I chose to leave the situation as it was then the butterfly effect might create something even worse, considering where we were in the timeline.

Vali.

The boy might hate his grandfather with everything he had, but I would be... as stupid as Issei if I thought he wasn't scared shitless of the eldest super-devil. Assuming Issei doesn't get out of his funk when Vali arrives, and I'm sure Rias and her peerage already tried cheering him up, Vali would have news that there was a pathetic wielder of the Boosted Gear out in the open, and that could very well be the signal for Rizevim to go after him.

Unlike me though, Rizevim most definitely gets away with it, and that will make surviving the rest of canon, off the rails though it may be, that much more difficult.

And that meant that there was only one logical, but very painful decision I would have to make.

I sighed.

I was going to have to cheer him up, wasn't I?

Fuck me.

"Stop moping." My words came out as a hard command as the boy's eyes snapped towards mine, and even from behind my thick lenses I saw his brown orbs well with confusion and outrage at the tone of my voice. This wasn't one friend trying to comfort another in their pain, this was a teacher snapping a student out of their stupidity. "It's getting annoying and really you're just wasting your time."

I hated this situation, but if it meant that I could continue my climb without risking one of the strongest players in the game coming out early, then I would gladly bring back the minor threat that was Issei. I could just break him again if he got too big for his britches so there was no real harm.

"What can I do then?" From across the room, the glare he leveled at me wasn't the least bit threatening, but it held signs of life and at least I could use that. "I gave everything I had and still I couldn't do anything. It wasn't even a fight anymore. Afterwards everyone agreed that it was such a hopeless mismatch that it wasn't even funny. I tried to cheat and that still didn't work. HOW CAN I FIX IT NOW?"

"Try thinking for once." I told him quite sternly as a random thought popped into my head. I didn't really want to take the time and give him a heart to heart, so this would have to do."If you care about whatever this is as much as you care about tits then I'm sure you'll think of something."

And that was the tipping point.

Immediately, Issei froze as I said the magic word, and everything else seemed to fade away for the boy. As if he had reached enlightenment he rose from his seat, but there was no peace in his expression, only a newfound sense of urgency that bordered on desperation. All traces of despair and failure fled from his form as with that same urgency came new life and the same unrelenting drive that allowed him to bridge the impossible gap between himself and Vali in a few minutes.

Faster than I could blink, he was out of the room as the whirlwind tossed the tests and handouts furiously in his wake.

"Thanks Suzaku, I'm not going to let that bastard touch Buchou's boobs and take her virginity." He closed the door with an excited slam before shouting the words I feared he would repeat. "Those boobs and her virginity belong to me!"

As the echo of such an absurd declaration faded I could only think of one thing.

I can't believe that worked.

"And that's Mifune-sensei to you!"

* * *

"I'm sorry." Sirzechs Lucifer: hero of the Civil War, Super Devil, The Bearer of Light as well as The Touch of Oblivion, bowed low as I sat at my desk, perplexed.

Nevermind, it wasn't that bad. It was worse..

I could barely see him over my desk as he got on his knees and prostrated himself before me, a dogeza as the japanese would call it, and I concluded that the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

Make no mistake, I wasn't surprised when the most powerful devil on our side came to me to apologize. In fact, I expected such a thing from him, especially with how... convincing mother can be when she was angry.

She still loved him, maybe as much as she loved us. I'm sure that even after he tried to kill me, the more maternal part of her would love nothing more than for us to get along, even if the overprotective mother in her demanded his death, status be damned. It should be said that mother is very, very good at getting what she wants, and I had no illusions that if she truly wanted Sirzechs dead, then it would be done somehow, someway.

Ergo, it was only a matter of time before I would have Sirzechs Lucifer in my study, asking for forgiveness. I was prepared for such an occasion and I wasn't surprised by the occurrence in itself.

This was another matter altogether.

Don't get me wrong, I know who this person is according to canon, as well as much left unsaid about the super-devil Sirzechs Lucifer. This was the man chosen to govern the internal affairs of devilkind, the analog of a prime minister; not just because he was the strongest among them, but because he was the most cunning. If Ajuka was smart, Sirzechs was sly, and as an expert in the field of politics and non-magical manipulation he was definitely the most suited for Lucifer, not just as the Morning Star, but as the Prince of Lies.

He was a doting brother, and a bit of an airhead when portrayed in canon, but he was the Hero of both the Great and Civil War and the only reason he acted that way was because it suited his needs. Behind the scenes he orchestrated the growth of Rias's peerage right under her nose, bringing each individual member into her little group and allowing them to grow through training and battle. From the encounter with the much weaker canon Riser, to the battle with the top echelon of the Chaos Brigade, he watched from the sidelines as his plans unfold. I wouldn't be surprised if everything that occurred during canon, from the failed machinations of the Fallen Raynare until Issei's first death at the hands of Samael happened by his design.

Except maybe the death part, since he wouldn't willingly do anything to upset his sister; and Issei's death really did a number on them.

The point was, the man before me was an expert at diplomacy with a potentially hostile party, and that meant everything he did was meticulously calculated to lead me on according to his hidden agenda. Every subtle expression, and every loose word was properly thought of and weighed, such that any action he might take would help him achieve his goal.

Yes, even if that meant getting on his knees and begging for forgiveness.

But for the life of me, I couldn't see how this helped him in any way.

"Alright, I'll bite." I conceded after a long moment of silence, Lucifer finally raising his head that his contrite eyes could meet mine. "Why are you doing this? I know mother can be convincing but I'm sure you didn't have to go this far."

"You would be surprised at just how convincing Lana-oba-san can be." I could see the shiver go down his spine and almost hesitated in response. But that hesitation was crushed not a moment later as I was reminded of who I was dealing with. Besides, his rebuttal didn't make any real sense as I'm sure he intended.

"True, but she wouldn't expect you to go this far." He was kneeling for crying out loud, this shit definitely wasn't normal. "How long did you practice for this?"

A bit of context; one of the Satans showing any kinds of weakness is a big no-no in any situation. A respectful incline of the head was sufficient for a greeting and if they were feeling extra respectful they would be the ones to greet another party first; but they would never, ever bow at the waist. And here, Sirzechs was taking it a few steps further, going as low as getting on his knees to ask for my forgiveness. My mother might have demanded an apology, but the offence was not so dire as to require such an act of humility on his part.

Half of me expected he would send some hallmark card of some variant, not degrade his authority and bow down like he almost killed someone actually important.

Or someone who couldn't resurrect from virtually anything.

It was like watching a president go down on his knees to say sorry to a child; those things just didn't happen without something being up, so pardon me for being a bit skeptic.

"Why, Riser, I'm hurt that you don't believe me." He recoiled in mock offence as he straightened up to his full height before taking his seat, the smile on his face shining like he had just told the best joke in the world rather than whined to me about my unbelief. "I really am sorry for what I did to you."

"And that's just my problem." I shook my head as I leveled a stern glare at the man acting like a child. "As far as most people are concerned, you didn't do anything. You could skip this little apology session and the worst thing that could happen is that our families snub each other 'till the end of time. So what gives?"

In the end, that was the crux of the problem.

The people loved Sirzechs, no matter how monstrous he was in terms of power, attitude, and ruthlessness; or maybe it was because of all those qualities, you never know with Devils. They loved him so much that if it were to come out that we were feuding with him, he would still have the people's support just as long the reason he gave was within the realm of reason.

This is one of the reasons that our little disagreement wasn't supposed to be public yet, or rather our end would never make it public. We wouldn't gain anything from it other than a bad reputation.

If we were to complain that he tried to kill me, he could say that he was simply displaying my strength as one who could overcome a holy dragon and the people would ignore that I could have easily died if I made a single mistake. What's worse is that we have no real way of preventing something like this from happening.

The quickest and most effective remedy would be threatening to besmirch his reputation, but that wouldn't work. If we were to demand a public apology, he could always lie through his teeth and keep his head held high, painting the incident like it was just him making a harmless mistake and our family was being much too presumptuous, or he could humor us and look all the better for it. If we took any legal action against him then he would always defend himself with the fact of my victory, and that whatever offence we might charge him with is made void because of some bullshit reasoning that my victory was well within his calculations.

And the people would believe him.

They would be eating out of his fucking hands, Revive's place as one of the major players in Underworld Media be damned.

As far as I could tell, mother acknowledged that fact and demanded that he apologize to me at the very least, although she knew that it wouldn't really change anything. At that point, any play we make would devolve into a fight we could never win, not when he had the people's support.

I expected that he would come, just to honor my mother, but from a pragmatic standpoint he would lose almost nothing if he just said a simple word of apology and walked right out of the room.

So once again, that begged the question of why he would bow so low, even in private, for something he could completely ignore and which no one would lend an ear about if we complained.

"Well, I certainly cherish the bond our families share, and if this is the price to maintain it through such tumultuous times, then I will gladly bow my head." He offered cheerfully with a smile far too chipper to be trusted.

"Bullshit." Of course, I wouldn't believe something so convenient. "Maintaining the bond you claim to cherish so much would have been as easy as doing nothing during the party. Then everything would be fine and our parents wouldn't be arguing right now, something I'm sure you knew going into this. If you hadn't implemented your scheme, everything would have gone smoothly and everyone would be happy. Of course there would be conflict if you work to undermine a plan set in motion, a plan formed with your personal approval I might add."

"It's always better to beg for forgiveness than to ask permission." The smile was a bit smaller now as he innocently scratched his cheek and spoke with an almost sheepish tone. "And before going through the nitpicking, I decided it was better to act right away and deal with the fallout later."

"My mother is involved." I scoffed. "You should know more than anyone that getting forgiveness from her involves great suffering. Not even you could deal with that fallout, figuratively speaking. You were there during the last meltdown, you tell me how bad she can be."

I couldn't tell if his sudden twitch was fake, but the flash of true terror in his eyes as definitely genuine.

"I admit that I acted rashly in the defense of my sister." He said, suddenly serious as his smile dissipated and a hint of loving regret filled his eyes. "I didn't know that such a plan would hurt you and your family so, and for that I must admit my mistake and make amends."

"And for some reason, I still don't believe you. You strike me as the type not to care about consequences when loved ones are involved. And you never, ever, act blindly." This was getting us nowhere, and though I did have quite some time before my next training session with the girls, I still preferred to spend my time doing something productive.

This was not it.

But now he was sincere, so much so that I really did want to believe him and end this useless conversation. He was sorry, and technically I came out the winner our tete-a-tete so there was no real reason to carry on the conversation.

But something in the back of my mind demanded that I continue.

It was nerve wracking, and honestly almost worse than my conversation with Ddraig.

I sighed deeply as resignation flowed through the cracks in my stoic facade. "Look, with all due respect, Lucifer-sama, I understand the reasoning behind such a ploy. As it stands, we are at an impasse; I can't leverage anything more from you, and you've dug yourself so deep a hole that actually admitting your mistake is a reasonable option.. Therefore, I humbly request that you leave if you have no other business with me. I'm sure that someone as illustrious and influential as yourself has so more important tasks to accomplish, instead of idling here with me."

The smile he wore was nothing short of terrifying as he stood to his full height...

"You're absolutely right." The chipper way he said it set my warning bells ringing as confidence totally erased his previously contrite air, but not as much as the way he casually plopped on the recliner and rested his cheeks in his hands did. He was taunting me. "And since you'd like to take care of this now, since you know I'm such a busy man after all, I'll get straight to the point. I'm apologizing because need you and if we're working together, it's better to be on good terms, yes?"

I stared at him for a full minute, expression solid and unchanging as cold marble as sheepish aquamarine eyes looked back at me in expectation. I'm not going to lie, I expected quite a number of things that would force him to bow down and apologize. This was actually one of them; namely something Rias related. But it still seemed so surreal that he was actually doing it, especially given the audacity needed to request something like this after he legitimately tried to kill me.

Sure his attempt failed, but intent over efficacy.

I sighed. "Does this has something to do with Rias?"

"Bigger." The wry smile he wore spelled nothing but trouble, and he only confirmed that as he shook his head. "Remember the artifact you managed to steal?"

"Of course, I do. It's been a wonderful tool since it's come into my possession." He was referring to the extraction cross, and there was only one plausible reason why he would bring that up now. "I managed to acquire it after your sister did a number of the scouting party."

"Dear little Ria is growing, but now I fear that whatever strength she has accumulated might be tested prematurely." His expression glimmered with pride for a moment before the grim severity settled in once more. "You're not the only one who has been going around taking precious artifacts."

I wasn't surprised when he brought it up, since that was the only reason I could think he would need me. I was more surprised that he knew, but then again it wasn't that much of a shock.

"They are on the move again, aren't they?" Of course this was coming, and I would have been more surprised if he didn't notice the strange spike in their activity. "The Fallen."

I don't know if I already said this, but the Fallen had always been a middle ground so to speak, from the Great War until this day.

They entered the fray to come into their own, to find a place and an identity as the grey walking between heavenly white and hellish black, and this semi-neutrality allowed them to be what they were today. It was no lie to say that the Fallen was the faction currently standing at the top among the three, because while Heaven lost God and a few Seraphs, and Hell lost the Satans, the Gregori had lost nothing.

Every Watcher still stands strong, from Kokabiel to Amaros, and with all their leaders still alive they would easily be able to assure mutual destruction if they were to battle any one of the other two factions. That doesn't sound like much at first glance, but Heaven will remain an impenetrable fortress until Rizevim's Siege and we have two, maybe even three, super devils just in case the Old Maou's would like to call a truce in favor of getting rid of the Fallen first.

So long as the remaining faction doesn't interfere, the Fallen would stand a solid chance of winning against any other faction, and even if they lost they would guarantee mutual destruction.

Which explains why they seemed overly active early in canon, considering the ceasefire in place; they really didn't care.

How Sirzechs figured it out? Well, he is an obsessive brother after all. Even if Rias did hide her reports, as long as there was a record, either written or within someone's memory, detailing their interactions with the Fallen, then Sirzechs would be able to get his hands on it.

Why he needed me, well that was obvious too.

"Yes, they have been moving for quite some time now, though of course you know that given your new position in my school, Mifune-sensei." Oh yeah, he did technically run the school alongside Serafall; the most subtle form of surveillance the maou's employed, as well as their only option when it came to Sona and Rias. "Since you're already doing some surveillance of your own, I was hoping you would report whatever you find back to me."

"Hoping?" I raised my eyebrow, that was very strange wording. "You're not going to try and coerce me into this?"

"Eh, why bother? You know as well as I do that this time I have nothing to threaten you with, nor can I leverage that non-existent love for my sister." He shrugged before allowing a small smile on his lips. "It's funny really: for the longest time I was wishing that you would one day wake up wishing for a different bride. Now that I get what I want, my sister's fate suddenly hangs in the balance."

Considering the the dynamic between our families, namely both our parents wanting us to reconcile, he couldn't really threaten me with anything too drastic if we were to keep up the illusion of getting along. I did say that it was a stalemate; as long as I couldn't threaten him with much, he couldn't threaten me either without repercussions.

The worst thing he could hit me with was revoking my teaching job, which would leave me with no reason to stay in Kuoh, but doing that would take away my ability to serve as his eyes and ears. He could probably ask someone else, but then it would look like the favoritism it is to the other families. And if Rias found out, he would never hear the end of it. His own party of confidants seemed to be an eccentric bunch, with only Grayfia as suited for any sort of espionage mission.

The same sister-in-law Rias would recognize in a heartbeat. That was a definite no-go.

That's the reason why, in canon, he couldn't respond as quickly as he wanted to when Kokabiel, one of the Cabal Leaders, The Original Watches, tried to strike her down. If he acted too quickly, Rias would catch on that he had her under surveillance. If he acts preemptively, the other families would charge him with breaking the "Anti-Favoritism" Laws which would in turn lead them into a larger political mess than Three Faction Summit.

I was the perfect solution to this problem; an ace in the hole.

I had a reason to be there watching over her, both as her fiance and as a mature devil watching over a juvenile. There was no real legal obstacle in my way of being there, and given my performance during the duel, he would have perfect confidence that Rias would be safe under my watch.

It was a situation where everyone wins: Sirzechs rests easy as Rias' safety is guaranteed, I 'get closer' to her and further whatever plan I have in store, and Rias is both none the wiser, and alive.

One thing bothered me though.

"And what makes you think I don't love her?" How he figured out that little tidbit out was slightly frustrating. I gave him every reason to think I wanted Rias, either for her body or some other reason, but he still didn't buy it.

"You were too cold. ." He replied easily, before shaking his head. "Sure, you can say that I had the same problem, but Grayfia was a member of the Enemy's upper echelon during the Civil War while Rias is supposed to be a family friend since childhood. The fact that you gave her a chance meant that you respect her wishes to an extent, but giving it a time limit shows that you want to be seen as the one making the decision for yourself rather than caving under pressure. You care, no question about that, but you appear to care much too little to look like you truly loved her."

"Simply said, little bird," He must have liked how I seethed under that particular nickname. Mom had ones much worse, but still. "You care about your appearance so much around supposed friends that it became obvious that you didn't see us as such. You're too guarded, too cautious, and you're no Ajuka." He waved his hand, banishing the topic as the gravity of the situation asserted itself once more.

"But enough of that. What will it take to get you on board? What do you want in exchange?" That just sweetened the deal, and I'm sure he knew that. I had no real reason to refuse, and now he was giving me even more incentive to cooperate with him.

It was just too good to be true at this point, but this man was next level when it came to manipulation. He was laying it think on purpose, but it could easily be a bluff as much as it was a legitimate proposal.

He was standing, which added a sense of urgency and pressure as I chewed on the offer; certainly another tactic to make me agree immediately, and even as he smiled down on me I could see nothing but sincerity in his eyes; as if he was really offering me something with practically no strings attached.

I made my decision.

"You mentioned that this was big." If he wanted me to make a choice now, he had another thing coming. There was no way I do something as stupid as rush headlong into a fight with a Fallen as strong as Kokabiel. "Exactly how much damage control are we talking here."

"The details should be with your father by now, as well as Prince Sitri since we're all involved by relation, but the short of it is, the Fallen are trying to start another war." His tone was grim as he looked down, a hint of pleading in his eyes and the gravity of the situation began to dawn on me.

"You can't be serious…"

"We don't know their true motives, but that certainly is the case here." The Satan explained with a heavy sigh before looking out the open window and into the artificial sky. "We could consider their presence in the town an act of aggression; but since the human world is basically international waters, we have no real basis for pursuing the matter, especially since Rias was the one who came out alive. What they did to the church though, that is an act of war no matter how you look at it."

It was nice that he was trying to be gentle about the revelation, but that didn't change the sheer shock that overtook me the moment he revealed it. I wasn't surprised that the Fallen had started doing this again, hell I had even met a few of them on my island and invited them to call me up at their leisure.

I was surprised that he knew about it so soon.

He knew they were there: that was to be expected.

He knew they had something planned: that was fine.

He knew exactly what they were doing? That was frightening.

This changed everything, he knew beforehand that the attack was coming and yet he chose to do absolutely nothing about it. Initially I had thought that he had his hands tied, or that he was caught off guard, but for him to have known that they would strike at Kuoh? This was uncharted territory. It wasn't even a question of who they would attack: with no significant church presence, the Fallen would strike at Rias and Sona if they wanted a war, and those were the sisters of the two most volatile Satans.

One of them was standing here, perfectly fine with his sister being marked for death.

Something was going on behind the scenes, and I needed to know what before too many things change and too many important details are glossed over.

I guess it was time to see just how deep the rabbit hole went.

"What do you need?" There was no backing out now. I needed to immerse myself in both the light and the shadows of this world if I wanted to come out on top.

I just hope that what I gain is worth what I may sacrifice.

His smile was radiant as the words rang just with the same finality of a death sentence.

"Let them do whatever they want, just make sure Rias survives."

* * *

Chap is out.

I'm really sorry it took so long, but real life is more important and I have responsibilities and blah, blah, blah.

Most of you guys seemed to like Valerie's really early inclusion, and that's good I guess. To the guy asking if she's from Rosario, that's a definite no. Just too clarify, he doesn't have the Boosted Gear, and Issei is still alive for now, as seen in the scene.

This kicks off the start of Koka's arc, to the Rosario-guy: this is your fault. Hopefully I'll have the next one out by... sometime this year or something.

Not much to say except for usual "I will try to entertain questions, so guests make accounts so I can send PM's." You can as through revs or PM depending on your preferences and all that.

PS: If the last scene was a bit, okay maybe not just a bit, bad, its because I did it on my own. I'm just sitting here and praying my beta doesn't get too mad and abandon me.

Sorry Vhostym =((

We might rework the last scene, so that's a bit more of a delay so just keep waiting patiently if you guys and girls don't mind.

See you all next time, maybe.

Oh and here's a...

* * *

Side Story: I Don't need You to Love Me (Between Scene's 2 and 3)

As she reclined on a marvelous throne, Ravel Phenex had mixed feelings about the situation.

"My name is Valerie Tepes and I'm going to be Riser-sama's Bishop from now on." Ravel eyed the pale, well at least more than usual, vampire as she took a bow before them. She couldn't help but fight a smirk of approval as the vampire moved with elegance befitting a noble. "I'll be in your care and I hope we can all get along."

Initially, she felt a betrayed when her brother informed her of her trade.

It seemed obvious in hindsight; why she didn't receive as much training as the rest of his peerage, why he spent more and more time with them than with her, why whenever they went out on their little hunts -sanctioned by the family of course- she was relegated to over-watch. She could feel that they were slowly distancing themselves from her but it wasn't made obvious until he came home with a vampire in his arms and a sad smile on his face. So no, she wasn't surprised and a very large part of her smiled with him when he quietly introduced her to who was to be the newest member of their family, but a small part of her couldn't help but feel abandoned.

The Trading Ritual was performed the next day, and while she was a free bishop, while her brother gained a _chance to claim an_ arguably better piece, she couldn't help but resent that.

She was given up after all, deemed of lesser importance compared to a daughter a father didn't even want.

Still she had to admire his taste in women. The Vampire was someone she recognized; Tepes was the name of a king acquainted with their brother and as the more dominant faction among the vampires, Valerie shouldn't have been no different. She was a woman, and that just made acquiring her easier since it was known throughout the underworld that the vampires were generally sexist, and only a chauvinistic vampire would get along with her second brother. Even as the vampire stood before them, Ravel could feel the barely restrained power, urged forth by nervousness, bubbling under pale flawless skin.

Power so great that had to be reigned in.

Still, though her power was great, the love of a little sister was greater, and while Valerie Tepes was strong, Raven Phenex could easily claim to be her better after participating in some of the Peerage's training behind her brother's back.

So no, her power and her beauty wasn't enough to soothe the sting of betrayal.

"Valerie then." Ravel spoke imperiously from her comfortable seat, with all the authority her brother had, maybe even more in her opinion as fiery blue eyes met mesmerizing amethyst."As the younger sister of your Master, I Ravel Phenex welcome you to the House of Phenex. Since my older brother has... other responsibilities as of the moment, it falls to me to introduce you to who you'd be working with."

The second reason she was traded away, though, was enough to heal her wounded heart, even more, it filled her with joy as well as determination.

"Yulbelluna is to be your Queen, and is the most powerful of us all. She is to be your direct superior and you will go to her should you need anything and I am not there to aid you." The woman who her brother had first called smiled at the slip of a girl and stood with confidence when her name was called. There was no question in the older woman's expression, no hesitation in her movements; all in the room knew that the Queen answered to her.

She wasn't in her battle attire, just a simple sundress that was both alluring yet modest. The woman did have some of the best curves, she couldn't help but notice despite repeated reassurances that she would come into her own someday, but she had change during the course of their training. Her hair was straight now that she didn't spend hours at a time lovingly coaxing the luscious waves into her tresses. She recalled her brother telling her she preferred it that way and suddenly she looked like an entirely different woman. Her lipstick wasn't as dark, neither was her make up as thick as it used to be but that lent her an air of refinement that eluded her in the past.

Ruval noted that if Luna dressed in a toga, she wouldn't be surprised if a god fell from heaven for a chance to share her bed. _Poseidon maybe?_ Ruval mused as she smiled, signalling the queen to sit down.

"Your fellow is Mihae; from now on she will be your sister, to share in your troubles, burdens, as well as your joys and triumphs. She's a gentle soul, and there is no one I would trust more to be in charge of your growth." The magician who grew strong enough to wound her brother, even if during training waved warmly with a serene expression on her face before she stood from her seat and took her place beside the vampire. Like the Queen before her, the Bishop obeyed without question and submitted herself to Ravel's command as easily as she always did in training or in battle.

Ravel was happy to note that her brother managed to instill a bit more confidence in the young woman. Gone was the overly formal girl who would wander the grounds in her formal robes and in her place was a flower in bloom, much like the crimson clip that kept her hair in a side tail. Other than the eye-catching fascinator, Mihae wore an immaculate blazer bleached white of all colors, a black dress shirt, a red tie and a matching pencil skirt. Rounding out the ensemble with black stockings and white flats, she was the most formally dressed, except for the two maids of course, but she was obviously the one who changed most given how she took Valerie's hand with a smile when she saw the Vampire looking a bit uncomfortable.

Ravel could only smile in approval when Mihae whispered into Valerie's ear, the word 'you'll love it here' echoing faintly in her ears.

"The rooks, Isabela and Xuelan, will be defending you in combat. Try not to get in their way if you can help it, though they're generally more careful when it come to using there augmented strength." The Rooks, the literally pillars of their peerage remained seated but smiled warmly at their new companion. Though they did make room between the two of them, enough for Mihae to lead Valerie to the couch and seat the pair comfortably. She wouldn't deny them the right to remain seated, they had just been training her

The Rook were the first to change, both outwardly and inwardly and she found that first hand when she first came to them for training. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that aside from Luna, Xuelan and Isabela were the two most powerful members of the peerage, as well as the most versatile. Her bruises, as quickly as they faded, where testaments to their strength, their unmarred skin spoke of speed beyond even her flames, and of course their teamwork was impeccable. They were dressed casually, just a light shirt and a sports skirt to cool of but also to show just how little damage Ravel did to them

None at all.

"The knights are Siris and Karlaminte; they'll be in charge of training you for now. It would be best if you learn from them sooner rather than later, those who stay still on the field of battle quickly end up dead." Karlamine had finally stripped herself of the bandages that adorned her head, and Siris wore a simpler ponytail as the former cheerfully waved and the latter quietly bowed. When they thought she wasn't looking, Karla had begun whispering conspiratorially into the Bishop's ear, earning a small smile from the vampire, while Iri simply shook her head at their antics.

For now, they were the pair that had changed the least in terms of appearance though only because the new armor being forged for them was quite potent and needed more time to be completed. She couldn't have been prouder of the pair when Iri finally saw the light in thinking for herself instead of being a simple soldier waiting to execute any order and Karla found something she was willing to throw her honor away for. It took a few moments for her to cow Karla into silence, and when her glare proved ineffective, Iri herself covered the overexcited knight's mouth with her own hand.

"And finally, the pawns, there are quite a few of them so don't be too disheartened if you can't tell the twins apart." She ignored the pointed outburst if Ile, Nel, Ni, and Li, though there was no hiding the smirk on her face.

"Ni and Li are the twins in dresses." The two cheered as they were called, both practically vibrating with excitement before swarming the poor vampire with an enthusiastic hug.

"Ile and Nel are the twins without cat ears." Ravel ignored the two who stuck out their tongues at her, both happy for the fact that they were more comfortable with her in the lead and exasperated that they actually wore cat themed headbands for the introduction.

"Burent and Marion are the ones dressed in uniform." With perfect poise, the pair of maids curtsied gracefully; by far the most normal of the pawns as well as the calmest.

"Which leaves Mira and Shuriya as the odd ones out." Mira simple waved from her place while Shuriya, who actually found something less revealing to wear, nodded from hers.

With her brother away doing who knew what for the Satans, she was tasked the watch over his peerage in preparation for the day she would get her own. He promised that he would get involved from time to time, mostly pulling a certain member out for some special training -funny how almost half a year ago, she wouldn't have thought that her brother would seriously do that- but as a whole this was her peerage to with as she saw fit. She was moved when her brother first explained to her the honor she was being given, as well as the responsibility she would now have to carry.

Ravel Phenex swore on her name that she would not fail him.

"That's everyone. From now on, we're a family; your problems are ours, when your hurting, so are we, and when you think you need to cry then chances are that we'll be there crying with you." She began to close as her expression softened and she allowed a more genuine smile on her face. "But that's okay, because our strength is yours when you need it, our shoulders are there just in case you're too tired, our hands and arms are ready to hold you if you're feeling cold, and I can guarantee that, even if you want to be, you'll never be alone again."

She remembered when they first met, when Valerie first awakened, the fear in her eyes and the resignation in her frame. She was there when emotions melted away from her face, when she was reminded of the walking nightmare that was her reality, that she was someone not even her father wanted, someone her mother couldn't even hold. She remembered how she resented the poor girl for taking her place in her brother's life, and the shame of being told that they would be hers to look after, that she was being trusted enough to lead them.

And as she watched tears begin to stream from the vampire's eyes, tears Mihae quickly brushed away while the rest of the peerage began to clump up around her, she thought that maybe she couldn't be the leader she was.

After all, she would be hard pressed to sacrifice her sisters.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 ...This place is not quite what it seems, or anything that I was told it'd be...

* * *

The air was cool and crisp as it filled my lungs, revitalizing and almost too natural as I continued to put mile after mile behind me. I didn't know what other Riser was talking about when he said that the air in the human world was something disgusting; the magic here was just as good as that of the Underworld: icily sharp enough to wake the senses but not so potent as to be repulsive. The landscape was a welcomed change of pace as well: the beauty of a sleepy town as the evening moon began its climb from it's hiding place behind the horizon to its throne in the heavens.

The tranquil scene shifted before my eyes as I went on my way, each stride I took was perfectly measured, born from meticulous control and hours of practice as I continued my evening run; a pastime I decided to take up now that I stayed in Kuoh. It was a very relaxing affair, an exercise that allowed me some time to just stop, away from the usual plotting and scheming I would return to whenever I find myself alone. It was somewhat like grading papers, I guess, an activity that wasn't training but wasn't idling either.

Also, it allowed me to survey the town fairly extensively without being detected, so I guess that was a plus too. True, it didn't present a bird's eye view of the area, though my magical senses formed some form of a three dimensional map of the town, so I guess it was sufficient for gathering preliminary information.

Speaking of information...

Pushing a little bit of magic into the soles of my feet I leapt into the air, clearing most buildings as my back sprouted a pair of great black pinions, not in the fashion of leathery monstrosities but of flaming feathers that burned but did not glow. Wreathed in black fire, the wings and my form blended into the starless sky even as the moon shed it's reflected radiance; the fire producing more magic than actual flame as I flew.

I'll spare you the specifics but what appeared to be black flame in my eyes was only visible to me, acting as a sort of indicator. The black blaze that seemed to cover me was completely invisible to anyone else, a hidden black inferno burning fiercely and consuming light rather than fuel. I had woven the magic in such a way that the fire really did exist, and it burned as fiercely as one would expect from fire that hot. But as it was now it also hid anything within the flames so that if something was being 'burned' by the dark conflagration, it would disappear from sight rather than glow like a beacon.

It wasn't that strong of an enchantment, but the silver moonlight could not penetrate the veil of abyssal flames as I soared through the night enveloped within the shadow of the deep night, granting me ghostlike stealth as I scoured the city on massive invisible wings.

The light of the moon, as dim as it would be to a human, was more than enough to light my path, and seconds after I took to the sky my eyes caught the form of a boy on a bike, struggling to carry a strange rectangular package on his back as he sped towards one of the more isolated parts of town. I honestly didn't need to fly all the way up here to know where he was going, since anyone who watched the anime would be familiar with the boy's destination.

I had taken to the sky so that I could beat him there.

As an unseen blur, I tore through the night sky so swiftly that when I arrived scant seconds later I was welcomed by the sight of my fiancee and her peerage waiting for their final member. I took a moment to nod to myself, confirming that they would be confronted by a Stray Devil like in the anime rather than some club tournament in the novels before facing Kiba's now aggravated issues. This was rather fortunate, as it allowed me to give my entrance a bit more gravity, rather than having to introduce myself after some boring school activity.

That wasn't quite right, I did have some alternatives, but if they walked in on me testing some of my spells on a student rather than a Stray Devil then I'm sure I would have been expelled, even if Sirzechs had given me clearance to do whatever I wanted, provided Rias and company survive.

Ugh... the less I thought about Lucifer the better, and luckily for me, I now had the perfect target to vent my frustrations on.

So even as Rias and Akeno planned, Asia and Koneko idly chatted, and Kiba brooded, I snuck into the warehouse right under their collective noses.

My feet met the ground without so much as a sound as I sent my magic to work, the dull light of a dying flame driving away the shadows as glyphs and symbols flickered to life on the walls of the abandoned warehouse. This field wasn't one meant to crush the bug residing here, as fun as that would be, but a simple Bounded Field, or Domain, or Veil, whatever you want to call it. Its purpose was to isolate the interior of the warehouse, not so completely that Rias wouldn't be able to enter, but just enough so that they wouldn't know what was happening inside until they were within the Domain.

It basically gave me free reign to do as I wished, and so long as they stayed out, they wouldn't be the slightest bit aware.

It was a perfect place to run some tests.

"Anyone home?" I called out in an all too chipper voice, not that I needed to: As soon as I entered I knew the Stray was hiding behind me, nearer the upper southeastern corner of the warehouse in it's web. Still, if I could bait it out then it would make my job much easier, not to mention less messy. "Hello?"

It was probably trying to find the perfect angle to shoot its acid at me and since it did manage to penetrate Rook level defenses so I wouldn't be surprised if the Stray was confident enough to try to attack what it perceived to be a simple human. It was nice to note that my exercises on controlling my power had advanced to the point that it couldn't discern what I was, but as I had told The Breakfast Club, stupidity kills and I had no intention of dying this night.

I realize the hypocrisy of my saying that, since I'm acting on supposedly accurate foreknowledge of this universe, but at least I have a chance of getting it right.

This Stray was already dead. Underestimating me, or overestimating its own strength by rebelling in the first place, was it's last mistake.

I called out for the third time when it finally decided to act, and I could easily make out the stream of acid that hurtled towards me as if shot from a fire hydrant. Since the attack had managed to hurt Shirone, I'm sure that a direct hit would have put Kiba, Asia, or Issei out of commission. They probably wouldn't be dead, but would definitely be out of the the fight. It would have troubled Rias and Akeno a bit more than it did the white cat, but they would probably endure long enough to kill it.

As for me, what was supposed to be a surprise attack didn't even connect in the first place.

Well, technically it did hit, just not in the way the stray was expecting.

The stream of acid, or at least I thought it was acid, met my waiting hand; but instead of gushing and flowing through my fingers, it settled into my grip in the form of an icy lance. Though perhaps settled isn't the right word, as the long icicle retained all its momentum despite its change of state, but that was just fine. It was a simple matter to redirect the momentum of the spear, pivoting on my toes and executing a half turn did the trick, allowing me to throw it back from whence it came. I noted with a bit of satisfaction that it flew much, much faster than when it was flying at me.

I don't think the stray had time to react to the counterattack, seeing as its eyes were fearfully wide when the lance suddenly embedded itself hallway into the concrete walls of the warehouse, an entire half inch to the left of her neck. It was probably even more surprised when arcs of fire came to life beside it, searing the wall to form a magic circle large enough to occupy most of the wall and more importantly, powerful enough to arrest its movements through raw power.

At this point, it would have been a very simple matter to deal with the stray and be done: It couldn't move, it couldn't attack, hell with how much power I was funneling into the magic circle, it couldn't even take a last breath. Even if it wasn't so tightly bound, the gap of power between it and I was just so large that it really didn't matter what it did; the fact of the matter was that it would always lose no matter how much of a handicap I gave.

The only chance it had of surviving for any amount of time was if I didn't intend to kill it in the first place.

And I didn't.

With a gesture, the circle moved from the wall to the floor, carrying its bound prey with it as it bent space and the stray rematerialized before me. With a curious eye I studied the monster given to Rias and her Peerage to slay. In the looks department, it wouldn't lose to someone like Valerie if only she kept the ears and horn away, but my focus was more on the more magical side of things. She had very little strength, of course, in comparison to the protagonists and antagonists of this story, but it was one born of inconsistency rather than raw power. The energy around her was erratic, ebbing and surging randomly, ranging from a tenth of Issei's base power to half of my own strength.

This was no real surprise since Strays by nature are those who are able to KILL their masters, and at the height of their unbridled power they are plunged into madness. This was the danger of Strays and Reincarnated Devils in general: their potential. This was especially dangerous because, if worse came to worst, each and every one of them would be able to best those who brought them into the Darkness in the first place.

This one undeniable truth came with innumerable consequences, the most famous being the Devil Civil War itself, where the Old Blood decided to rebel against the Evil Piece System not only because of its threat to their power, but the threat to their very lives should the worst ever come to pass. But I wasn't here because of the threat that strays' posed, I was here for the most overlooked consequence, how Strays were legally treated.

Simply put, they are no longer considered sentient beings, and are consequently viable experimentation subjects, not even worthy of a proper trial or burial following their inevitable execution.

Rarity aside, they were the perfect resource to exploit.

"Is it ready?" My voice rang in the darkness, breaking the silence as another circle flared into existence a few paces behind me, revealing shimmering silver that seemed to burn in the firelight.

Power crept forth like the midnight moon and burned with dying embers flowed from the circle as Holy Light and Primeval Darkness melted seamlessly to form a pool of ichor at our feet. The tar-like substance flowed from the seal in massive quantities, the mass of brilliant crimson and hellish maroon lumbered from where it sprung, slowly making its way to the walls of the vast warehouse. The viscous liquid flowed thickly around us, surrounding the captured stray and myself in a perfect circle even as it continued to seep from the fiery sigil seared into the floor.

Soon the preparation was complete, and we were knee deep in the strange fluid, the outermost corners of the warehouse untouched as the unholy mixture made a perfect circle around us, spreading evenly as if held back by an invisible force. The origin of this power which was so potent it took a physical form glided unimpeded through the swamp of thick crimson to stand by my side and take one more calming breath as once again all was stilled.

Valerie looked to me askance with what appeared to be hesitation in those deep twilight eyes before unshakable resolve boomed from her voice, even though she barely whispered. "I am ready."

I nodded.

The quagmire of blood sprung up and consumed us whole, like the rushing jaws of a massive predator before the Stray could even scream.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late!"

Without warning I all but knocked the doors from their hinges as I stumbled into the room, bent forward with my hands pushing against my knees as I seemed to struggle to put air into my lungs fast enough to remain conscious.

Of course at the sight of me hunched over and panting like I'd just ran a marathon every other occupant in the room went on edge, especially since I had implied that I was supposed to be there. I didn't need my eyes to feel the apprehension in the room, the sudden rise of magic in the air, the tension that grew so thick that not even a knife could cut it and the weight so heavy that I could swear I gained a few pounds just by being in the room.

The Exorcists to one side seemed ready to strike me down with their Excaliburs if I made the mistake of threatening them and to the other, Rias and Akeno were barely restraining their magical power. As expected, though that didn't make it any less surreal, they both directed their misplaced anger at me, though the killing intent was still nothing compared to that of the Red Dragon.

I admit that it was strange seeing them in agreement for the first time, and by that I mean how both parties had no idea what to do in this strange situation. They didn't know where I stood yet, so of course they would be wary of knocking me out or wiping my memories clean the moment I stumbled in the room. On the part of the church, they couldn't really do much considering that we were under Devil jurisdiction, and since their confusion was compounded by the way Rias and her party hesitated, they struggled to make a decision on what to do themselves.

Alight, that was fun, but it was time to get the show on the road.

In an instant, I straightened myself and gazed upon the eyes of the waiting crowd, my countenance eerily serene as the air of the clumsy teacher left to make way for the aura of an experienced combatant. Like clockwork, I fixed the mess that was my dress shirt and slacks and once I was satisfied with my appearance, words began flowing from my mouth with practiced eloquence.

"Lady Gremory, Exorcists Quarta and Shidou, I once again apologize for my failure to respond to the summons in a more timely manner. I assure you that such a lack of professionalism will not be repeated as we continue to work towards the resolution of this... incident." Again I lowered my head in a respectful bow, only to rise to my full height once more flashing everyone in the room a polite smile. "To those who aren't aware, I am Mifune Suzaku, a magician currently working for Sirzechs Lucifer and I will be present to provide support to the Church Delegation and the Gremory Heiress for the duration of the former's stay in Kuoh. I look forward to working with you."

Most of them had humorous reactions to the claim I had made, the most prominent being the momentary explosion of worry and fear in the two exorcists' expressions. Both Irina and Xenovia seemed to struggle to keep their hands under their robes and relaxed instead of listening to their instincts and fleeing from what was supposed to be a powerful magician: in this case, me. For an instant, they doubted my words, but after a moment that fear and apprehension disappeared as resolve began to glow in the eyes of the wielder of Durandal. Seeing her partner calm herself, Irina resolved to believe in the stronger of the two of them and graced me with the same polite smile, though Xenovia simply acknowledged me with a nod.

As for the Devils, Rias was at war with herself, and for a moment indignation towards her brother overpowered her ability to reason out why exactly he supposedly sent me. The more rational side of her demanded that she try and decipher why her brother would see the need to send his own representative, and though she was angry she seemed to realize that she didn't know everything about this situation. Soon, irrational anger gave way to simple, cool, curiosity, though the look in her eyes and the way her lips seemed to twitch ever so slightly when she smiled told me that if she didn't like what she heard, there would be a reckoning.

To someone like me, with my current strength, her frustration and threatening to take that pent up aggression out on me was simply adorable, but since since I was trying to be professional, I didn't let it show.

"Do you mind explaining what you mean my by that, Mifune-sensei?" She struggled to keep her voice light and carefree, and when I say that I mean that she utterly failed at speaking in any tone that approached friendly. It wasn't exactly cold, but the way she spoke was telling of a threat. Again, it was as effective as a kitten trying to glare a particularly large mastiff into submission. "The matter of your presence here prior to this incident aside, why do you reveal yourself now?"

Instead of replying immediately, I turned to the pair of exorcists. "Have you ladies explained the entirety of the situation to Lady Rias?" When Irina giggled at the way I referred to them and shook her head I thanked her with a nod. "Alright then, since I've wasted enough of our time with late introductions, we'll cut right to the heart of the matter: Four of the Fragments of Excalibur kept by the church have gone missing and they believe that they are currently hidden here in Kuoh. It is all but confirmed that the ones who arranged and executed the theft were the Grigori, on account that those sent to parlay with them were never heard from again, while Exorcists Quarta and Shidou have managed to stay alive long enough to report back to the church."

"You seem to be misunderstanding something, Magician-" Xenovia challenged with a level tone before I cut her off politely but firmly.

"Please call me Mifune, and I do not think we are misunderstanding anything. While I admit that it is perfectly logical to arrive at the conclusion that we are collaborating with the Grigori on the matter, with the mutual benefit of this situation and all, we can derail that conclusion with a few simple facts." I paused for effect, reaching into my breast pocket and retrieving a simple photograph before laying it on the smooth surface of the coffee table. "The first of which is that you're not the only one they tried to steal from."

Most were confused by the picture, for very similar reasons. The Exorcists saw the most likely mastermind for the given incident, while Rias and her older pieces saw someone who was supposed to be one of the most devious and intellectual men to ever walk the battlefields of the Great War, almost eclipsing Ajuka himself in wit and power. Asia, in her innocence, saw nothing more than an older looking man in the picture, and Issei was just confused as to why I had a picture of his last client.

"Azazel, the current Governor General of the Grigori recently approached Hyoudou Issei through Devil Summoning Contracts for reasons not entirely clear to us." Confusion quickly morphed into rage, fear, and shock as the boy realized that the 'nice' man he spent time with every now and again was probably the same one who ordered his ex to kill him and Asia. It took Asia, Akeno, and Rias to keep him from exploding from the mess of emotion that was welling up from inside him. "We can only assume, given his interest in Sacred Gears, that he plans to take The Crimson Dragon Emperor for himself. Given that he continues these meetings clandestinely, we believe that he is trying to, in a sense, steal from us as well, though it is much harder to steal away a person than it is an object."

"That's why you're here isn't it?" This time I turn back to Rias, who seemed to have calmed down enough to figure out the rest of what I was going to say. The question itself was mostly rhetorical, though I might as well explain it for the benefit of all in the room.

"I mean no offence, Lady Rias, but after losing to Lord Phenex, your brother has concluded that your peerage is not equipped to survive the assault of an Ultimate-class being." She flinched when the loss was mentioned but she seemed to agree with my assessment, albeit begrudgingly. "Let's not even mention three of them actually making an appearance. I would like to believe that I could stall for enough-"

"I'm sorry, Mifune-sensei?" Irina, the only one in the room who would apologize for interrupting a potential enemy, spoke with a tinge of worry in her voice as she raised her hand. Give her a few months and the soon-to-be-angel would fit right in as one of my students. She continued with a slight bit of confusion after I nodded my assent. "Did you just say three Ultimate-Class beings? We of the Church know Kokabiel is involved, we didn't know about Azazel, but who's the third?"

"I'm glad you're the one who asked, Shidou-san, since he is another reason why we have to reject your request." Xenovia glared and Irina frowned as I shot them down, but before they could even say their piece though, I attempted to convince them with a practiced smile and a more worried tone. "It's not as if we don't want to give you free reign to search for your swords, it's just that the third Ultimate Being would more than likely be the Vanishing Dragon Emperor. His presence forces our hand since we have to ensure the safety of the Crimson Dragon Emperor on our side."

At this revelation, most had expressions of shock, or confusion in the case of Issei and Asia, but the rest of the room knew exactly how much of a problem Vali's presence posed.

In a few words, I had effectively forced us to actively seek the resolution of this incident and return the Holy Swords to the church considering the direct threat it would pose to one of the Servants of Gremory. It is true that the Red and White Dragons have fought ever since they were imprisoned in their respective Gears, but if it so happened that the Grigori orchestrated the theft to arm the White Dragon Host so that he could more easily kill the Red, then we would need to actively defend Issei. I could see the gears turning in the heads of both exorcists, and the King and Queen of the Peerage, so I removed all doubt when I hammered in the final nail in the coffin.

"And before anyone argues the impossibility of the White One wielding an Excalibur, I must inform you all that the Fallen have managed to replicate the Inheritance of Rights. As of this moment, we must assume that anyone fighting for the Grigori is able to use the Holy Swords; thanks to a certain experiment." If looks could kill, the one Yuuto was giving me would have killed even Lucifer himself. However, after seeing how little effect his attempts to immolate me through ocular pyrokinesis were having he turned his gaze towards the swords wrapped in cloth. The two exorcists, to their credit, simply ignored the look of utter hatred the knight was sending their weapons, though perhaps they were too busy trying to decipher the implications behind my declaration.

"How did you come across this information?" Xenovia was the one who spoke, suspicion lacing her voice as she finally managed to connect the dots. Of course the information I was spouting seemed too in-depth to be gleaned from a simple scouting run. A few of these tidbits were key points which would influence how this situation resolved itself, so it was no surprise that she would be curious, and suspicious as to how I came to posses this knowledge.

"Exorcist Quarta, though we are forced to work together by circumstance, I see no need to reveal the source of my information; other than the fact that anyone far up enough in our ranks has access to it." I shot her a cold smile, meeting her heated suspicion with smug confidence. "Please rest assured that it is in our best interests that the Holy Swords remain in the possession of the Church rather than with the Grigori. On that note, I was sent here to make sure that all of the known Excaliburs are returned to the church, or considering the worst case scenario, the Grigori aren't able to gain possession over Excalibur Mimic, Destruction, and of course Durandal."

The silence in the room was so absolute that one could have heard a pin drop. Personally, I would have loved to enjoy the expressions playing on their faces, but I ignored all that for now. As much fun as seeing them uncomfortable was, I had other things to do and places to be so sitting with them and dilly-dallying was not an option. She wasn't really much of a player even before I entered the room, so breaking the silence I took the liberty of turning Rias into a non-factor for the duration of the meeting.

"Alright then, now that we have all that out of the way, as spokesman of our side I must ask: What is it that you want from us?"

"Given all your information, I have nothing left to ask of you that you are able to grant. We'll be taking our leave now, before any more sensitive information is brought to light." With that Xenovia stood, beckoning Irina to join her as she prepared to end the meeting and leave. "Know this, Devils, we acknowledge that you cannot remain neutral in this conflict, but any action taken against the Church will be repaid in kind. If you cooperate with us then we may be on the path to a lasting peace, but betray us and our blades will bathe in Devil's blood."

That was nice: at the very least they acknowledged that we couldn't remain passive when the Grigori could be targeting us alongside the Church and she even left a nice little threat at the end of it too.

"Noted. Thank you for your time, and for not antagonizing any of the children here." I turn to Rias and her Peerage one last time before the circle of the Gremory sparked to life below me. "Lady Rias, Exorcist Shidou and Quarta, I bid you a good day."

And just like that, I left before any of them could protest. I did have other things to do after all.

* * *

Azazel was either stupid or fucking devious; right now I was having trouble deciding which one.

Make no mistake, the former would be very helpful for pushing my plans forward, but I couldn't help but pause at the thought that one of the most brilliant minds working behind this conflict was an idiot. However, it was either that, or this whole situation was just an elaborate trap set for anyone who stuck their nose in the situation. Strokes of apparent carelessness may befuddle those who looked too close, but appear as patterns in a hidden dance when viewed from another angle; a dance that would not end well for me if I misinterpreted the steps.

I would rather err on the side of caution here, considering just how much shit Azazel is capable off, so with those thoughts in mind, and my paranoia justified, I closed the recording of Issei exiting Azazel's hotel room.

If we operate under the assumption that Azazel isn't an idiot then we can also assume that he left this recording knowing that anyone who took the time would easily acquire it, and therefore figure out his location. Considering my prior interactions with the fallen, it would be reasonable to assume that this would be in response to my provocations: an invitation to a meeting with him. It was a message that he was prepared to meet me, and that he could easily subdue me if he thought it necessary.

Challenge accepted.

It was a simple matter to enter the establishment and soon enough I found myself staring down the Governor-General's front door. I rang the doorbell once and readied myself for whatever horror the Fallen Angel had in store for me.

Magic rose and surrounded my form, enveloping me in its tight hold before it began to squeeze and inject itself into every cell of my body. Bones hardened, muscles strengthened, impulses quickened and blood rushed as the energy reinforced by body in a manner foreign to this universe, to a degree that would have impressed a certain tan Archer. All the energy I had remaining within me stayed close at hand, ready to be brought to bear at a moment's notice as the floodgates opened, allowing me to drink of the energy of the world and refill the spent energy used during Reinforcement.

Step one; so far so good. Time for step two.

From the depths of my coat I produced what appeared to be a simple transparent stick, and brought it to life with a rush of magic. From the ends of the rod came fire, or rather something forced into the form of fire, with such incredible energy that I had to form a shield around the length of the 'blade' so that the sheer heat would not burn the entire block. The fire raged against the barrier giving light to the transparent construct and forming a shape reminiscent of a broadsword as I took the weapon and hung it on my hip, the scintillating blade ready to be drawn as soon as any sign of danger makes itself known.

This too was a spell from another world, though this one was incomplete as the required materials were still unavailable to me. Still the handle, or the incomplete Relic I possessed, was enough to serve as a conduit and amplify my fire magic to almost absurd levels of power, and for now with all that I had, it was well worth it.

I was more than ready to fight them off and escape into the night at my current state. No more was the boy who would have lost to Rias in another time, no more was one who cowered helplessly before Lucifer without as much as a fight: I could comfortably take on Azazel and survive, if not win given the right circumstances, and I was allowed proper preparation before the inevitable confrontation. I was as ready for a fight as I would ever be, and with the spells I used and the research I managed to uncover, I was confident that I had a very good chance of winning.

I wasn't disappointed.

"Yes?" The door opened and my body sprung into action at the sight of who answered the door.

A flash of silver and vermilion and my blade was already halfway towards the boy's neck, the edge of the weapon searing through the air as it hissed angrily, devouring the very atmosphere as it flew towards the enemy. However, As impressive as my speed was, it still still wasn't sufficient as my foe leaped back for all he was worth. Despite the initial shock, he managed to escape, the point of the flaming blade missing by an infinitesimal margin.

I could have easily dispelled part of the shield sealing the heat of the flame in the blade, but since I didn't feel like explaining to Sirzechs how exactly a star went supernova in the middle of town, I refrained. Besides, all that destruction would just serve to fan the flames of war; not exactly the outcome I was looking for if I was aiming for a crippling preemptive strike.

Instead jets of flame surge to life at my back, throwing me after the form of my opponent as he hurtled into the room with the aid of green and white wings. I didn't expect the distance between us to shrink, but the strength behind the jets of flame was enough to ensure that I kept pace long enough to form a 'Kancho' in my freehand. Brushing the thoughts of the naming aside, I tossed the spell at my foe for all I was worth and watched as the spear cut through space to reach The White Dragon Emperor.

A moment stretched as the tip of the spear breached half-formed armor and drew blood, the spell that could pierce dimensions cutting through any resistance as it coasted through his shoulder even as the boy took hold of the shaft and forced his power through. The spear had gone halfway through before it began to shrink and by that point the damage had already been done; even as white armor began to cover what was left of the boy's shoulder blood still leaked out leaving an ugly crimson stain on the immaculate white and radiant gold.

Talon-tipped greaves tore at the floor as my opponent struggled to stop, no doubt in order to get me to enter his range and defeat me with his Sacred Gear. I had expected this outcome, however, and instead of slowing down with the aid of magic, the thrusters on my back burned brighter and I accelerated. My opponent seemed to hesitate as I gained speed, giving me more than enough time to adjust my trajectory and evade his waiting arms; converting my form into fire was just an extra measure of caution, allowing me to split past his fingers as he tried to grasp the rushing flames...

Only to be forced to back off once more by a spear of light. I barely reacted in time, shifting my body back into physical form and parrying the spear of light just before it touched white flames as another spear blazed into existence and simultaneously made a beeline for my throat. This second attack was impossible to block as my weapon was still held in place, blocked by the spear's shaft. My only hope was to dodge, but just as the thought crossed my mind, a blue claw rushed for my chest aimed straight for my heart.

Then the world burned white.

* * *

"I can explain." It's never good when those are the first words spoken after a long silence, and a passed out Vali lying in the corner didn't really help me look innocent.

"Really?" Azazel looked at me funny. I don't know whether it was the disbelief in his expression, or the fact that there was barely any skin left on his face, save a spot just to the left of his nose, but it was something to behold. "You can explain this?"

I put away the handle as soon as the fire blade faded away, but the damage had already been done; the once luxurious apartment Azazel had used to spy on Rias and the gang was reduced to an empty furnace.

The heat from the explosion had reduced literally everything that wasn't a wall into gas, and then took that gas and converted it into pure energy. Not just any energy mind you, the most dangerous kind: Claustrophobic Energy. This energy hated being confined and as such rushed out of the room as quickly as it possibly could. That wouldn't have been much of a problem if it didn't entail causing an explosion that would make a few pounds of old reliable TNT look like a firecracker.

It was lucky that I was able to throw up a barrier at the last minute or the entire city would have been reduced to a smoldering crater. Azazel was a charred mess before me, Vali was effectively out of commission until I give him the tears I brought just in case something like this happened, and I was basically a walking corpse, so this was probably the best time to hold negotiations.

"Yes..." I limped towards the wall to settle on the igneous surface across the ruined form of the Fallen. "Yes I can, though would you really want to know how I caused an explosion strong enough to level the town?"

"Hmm..." For a moment what was left of his arm twitched, more than likely an aborted attempt to scratch his chin with his now missing hand. "Well, I could level the town myself, and I'm sure that we'd level the country if we were really trying, but what I really want to know is why you would come to someone's house just to nuke it."

"Hey! Don't talk like I wanted to nuke this place! I had a fucking arm through my chest!" Sure it did nothing, but having an arm through your chest isn't the best sensation in the world. I can think of hundreds of things better than it, like making out with my vampire pet. I would rather be doing her than talking to a half-dead pervert. Hell, if we get right down to it Issei is the most amicable pervert in this universe, and he's a fucking asshole. "Blame your foster kid with daddy issues for that. If he didn't attempt to Divide my sword then the fire wouldn't have escaped, and we would be able get stoned like normal people."

On a side note, being high on natural painkillers was a whole other experience when you're a devil, though getting drunk normally would still be preferable.

"Ah yes, like normal people, because as the mad leader of one of the oldest supernatural factions and the immortal prince of another, we're considered normal. But you're trying to distract me from the point, so let me remind you that I didn't ruin a man's house and bring his son to death's door on baseless suspicions, so don't talk like you Devils ever had the Moral High Ground." It was nice to see that the Governor General still had some snark in him as he smiled... or I think it was a smile? "Don't blame my kid for his daddy issues either, didn't you have a horrible childhood under the Reborn Inferno and the Death's Whisper?"

I didn't really know what to feel about my brothers' titles. Sure they had some, but even now when uttered by one of the most regal individuals in the war they did sound a bit stupid. Or maybe those were my parents' titles? Death's Whisper might have been mother considering her penchant for assassinations without magic, and everyone in the underworld knew that the closest anyone has come to approximating Bael and his Power of Destruction was my father, and now Ruval. But all that still didn't change the fact that they sounded stupid; I hope when it finally becomes my turn I'd get something a bit less... childish.

"Yeah, childhood was shit, but I eventually learned to live with it." I raised my hand, freshly healed eyes staring at the nondescript bar of silver that started this entire mess. "I guess I should thank them though; if they had never pushed me away then I wouldn't have developed a method of reaching Ultimate class as quickly as I did. Your kid cheats with abusing Divine Dividing so I can't say his method of getting stronger counts, and besides I did reduce him to a charred mess in the end."

"We can discuss pleasure later, let's get down to business, shall we?" If it wasn't for the room lighting up like a christmas tree, I wouldn't have guessed that he was angry from the tone of his voice. The Fallen never needed anything fancy like words of gestures to call for their spears of light, and their leader simply needed to will it and the room was once more filled with the light that robbed heaven of a third of their forces. It wasn't a threat more than it was a show of power: a message that he didn't really care what I did, and that despite current appearances he could handle anything I threw at him. Then again, it may as well have been a threat considering the heat coming with his next question. "Why did you contact us?"

"I thought that since this entire debacle is your fault, I would ask you to clean up your mess." I tried to smile politely at his question, as it seems that we're finally on the same page and taking each other seriously. "If you manage to reign in Kokabiel then I won't have to worry about my fiancee. Our differences aside, I will protect her if he dares become a threat, and as you saw now, I am more than able to deal with the likes of him."

Magic flowed from my form as wounds closed and flesh knitted itself anew, any trace of injury disappearing as I rose to my feet to tower over the fallen... er, Fallen. The sword in my hand blazed to life once more, though this time the length of the blade glowed an eerie deep blue, promising death to whoever met its fiery edge. It was that same edge that effortlessly cleaved through the very air and several spears of light as I swung it at the Governor General, settling it inches away from Azazel's throat, a direct challenge to his superiority and a declaration of war if there ever was one during this cease fire.

"If you have any knowledge of your underling's intentions, explain yourself, or would you rather I stick this through you and end all this." I was bluffing; the Fallen weren't known as the strongest faction for nothing and he probably knew that if it boiled down to another war, they would be coming out on top. I couldn't kill him, and he would probably interpret this as false bravado or a child's idiocy. But that was alright, I needed him confident for this to work. "Or maybe I should start with your son first?"

And that was the last straw.

As one, the spears flew towards me like the falling of a monsoon and in slow motion I watched as each individual construct slowly inched its way towards me. While one spear left it's circle, dozens more took its place, until all I could see was a blanket of white promising nothing but oblivion if I failed to block every single one. Each spear thrummed with barely restrained magic, the light so strong that even under my time dilation I felt apprehensive just looking at one of them, their collective power so immense that the sun would appear to be a dark spot by comparison.

Though if all the spears, those created and recreated, combined could approximate a newborn star, then the flame in my hand was like a supernova and as I unleashed it for a second time, I made sure that I was in full control of the power that managed to overcome the White Dragon Emperor.

What happened next was simple: all the spears vanished into the blanket of white. Flames so powerful that they embodied the very concept of "devouring" consumed the holy constructs like they were nothing more than toothpicks and no matter how many thousands Azazel hurled into the shield, the effect was the same. Though my eyes were filled by the light of the impossible flame, I could feel the Fallen losing strength. Unfortunately for me, the same could not be said for the other dragon lying in wait within Azazel. Albion was out of the picture, but he wasn't the dragon that totally ignored the effects of fire, no matter the temperature.

Damn Azazel for being such a charismatic prick!

"Okay, okay, no need to overreact. And here I thought you were the most amicable leader." I intoned from inside the sphere, hoping for the best as I pondered the mystery that was Azazel. "I just wanted to make sure of something before we continued this negotiation."

I knew the Fallen cared for the White Dragon Emperor, so much so that the man would break his facade and unleash an assault that I only survived because he had to limit it to avoid killing Vali himself, but I needed to confirm a theory I had on these characters in general.

I had found that Sirzechs was as much of a dick as Lucifer would have been, and that even if he loved his sister and the rest of his family to death there were still some sacrifices he would be willing to make as long as he would benefit in the long run. Case in point; the bastard was willing to sacrifice Sona and unleash Serafall on the Fallen Faction if it meant weakening them, despite that plan of action inevitably resulting in the death of both the Sitri Sisters and the collapse of their line. Here Philemon and Lasairiona, mom and dad, weren't a pair of social-climbing parents willing to sacrifice their children just to ensure the continuation of their house, which was how they reacted to Sirzechs' betrayal in the original material; an incident that happened offscreen there. My peerage actually had lives and personalities rather than being a bunch of thralls like those Diodora has, and Ravel wasn't just another harem addition because of the strength that Ddraig so graciously granted the pervert.

Oh and how can I forget, Ddraig isn't some honorable dragon that was trapped in the Sacred Gear for one mistake, she was a bloodthirsty beast who is willing to attempt any and all methods of escaping her prison. And if you didn't catch that, she's also female.

So I thought about the most horribly constructed character in the series, bar Issei: Azazel. He stands as the leader of the strongest faction, and yet is paradoxically the weakest leader amongst the three factions. But as he was described there was no way he would reach his current position. He was supposed to be a shameless pervert, like a more powerful Issei but with a higher intellect, an intellect he only seemed to use when it came to his hobby of Sacred Gears. He was cast out for having sex with a human, and has had multiple harems since. Additionally he was supposed to be somewhat of a pacifist, someone not willing to resort to direct confrontation to gain an advantage.

And that was all.

I found no qualities, save for his intelligence, that would allow him to manage his faction so well that it would be as strong as it was after the war. He looked to be a washout in front of someone like Sirzechs, so logically it was impossible for the Devils to be weaker when they had a leader superior in strength and intellect. It also wasn't as if Devils were naturally weaker than Fallen; the Fallen wielded the power of Holy Light, but they were equally vulnerable to our own brand of magic and their own Light after God cast them out. If anything Heaven should have been the strongest faction considering their natural advantage over the two other powers, but the middle group, the Fallen managed to keep their lead.

This clarified a few things for me.

"I'm not that cruel, you know?" I stated when the rain of spears finally stopped and I stood face to face with a hideous fallen angel; burned and battered but more than capable of ending my life the moment I made a mistake. The impossible fire waited, forced back into the form of a sword but ready to be unleashed once more the moment the Fallen became a threat. "But why him? If you wanted a child so badly, you could have easily adopted an orphan off the street."

His face was ruined and thus his expressions were hidden in the mess of sinew and bone, but his eyes conveyed everything I needed to confirm my theory: surprise, outrage, worry, and when they turned to the fallen form of the boy, affection.

The man was a philanderer, in that he appreciated the female form too much, but more than anything he was guilty of no sin other than consummating a love he shared with a woman.

"A man who loved his family so much that he wanted to start one of his own, and a boy who longed for a family that would love him as much as he did his late mother: is there no better match than this?" His voice was broken as words seemed to fall from his mouth and the leader of the strongest faction shed his strong facade to show the man broken by the sentence he was dealt.

The funny thing was the fact that his words lacked any trace of falsehood. He really did love Vali like the son he never had, one he never could have; so much so that even if he hadn't had Divine Dividing, and was the weakest devil past, present or future, he would love him all the same. His words and his eyes, those were the last pieces I needed to paint the full picture of the Fallen Angel before me.

To put it succinctly, for his sin of having intercourse with a human woman, the Governor General was cursed with the inability to have children of his own. His pursuit of women and his many harems were attempts to once again feel the pleasure he once had, a desperate experiment repeated again and again in his denial. His willingness to settle things outside of combat was born from the love he had for the rest of his kind, what was left of the family he had once lost and the lingering affection he still held for the family that resides in the Heavens above. His obsession with Sacred Gears was fueled by his spite for the father that punished him, and his hope that if he could understand how his father dealt with whatever was trapped in the sacrilegious armaments he could one day lift the curse placed on him.

He led The Fallen well because they were a family. Yes they were organized, but outside combat, outside politics and government, they were unified in purpose and belief, in will and spirit. Of course they were the most powerful faction; their whole faction would always be more powerful the the sum of our, the Devils', parts even if we have THREE Super Devils on our side all-out warfare would still be on even ground.

"You love them so much, too much to sacrifice one to the wrath of both Heaven and Hell." I spoke once more, drawing his violet eyes away from his son and to the one threatening him. "You wouldn't let Kokabiel stray as far as you have, so why? Why is your brother trying to restart the war that took so much from all of us?"

"That's what you don't understand. Kokabiel committed that theft not to start a war, but to secure peace."

A beat.

He was serious.

He was actually serious about this.

Really? I mean, he told one of his generals to take four priceless artifacts from an enemy faction, and hide them in the territory of another enemy faction, and then he asks for peace? He seriously thinks that doing something so obviously antagonizing will encourage the other two factions to ally themselves with him, and each other? Sure, lets say that he's doing this to expose security holes in each faction, to show that even with all our power we are all still weak, in a sense, and need to unite against a common foe. Most likely such actions will just encourage all three factions to resume killing each other.

His actions can only lead to war and he dares speak of peace?

Well, whatever, it's not like I needed to fully comprehend is intentions at this point. All that was required of me for now was keeping Rias alive, and if the man really wanted peace then I wouldn't have to worry as much. I just had to make sure he wasn't feeding me a line of bullshit, or that if he was, ensure that I was able to protect Rias from whatever treachery he had in mind.

Seems simple enough.

"Alright then, I believe you." I replied with a radiant smile, magic surging from my form to call forth a pair of vials from the circle on the palm of my hand. Without breaking my gaze, I leave the vials in the air held aloft by an invisible force so that it hovered between the two of us. "Now that business is done, let me ask you a few more... personal questions, specifically about your Cross."

If he was surprised at the abrupt change in topic, it didn't reach his eyes. He didn't reply either, his gaze focused on the Tears hovering between us for a few silent seconds, until he gave me a slight, almost imperceptible, nod. I have to give him credit, he seemed genuinely willing to share his knowledge with me, even though I had essentially stolen the artifact from his dead brethren. Then again, his motives didn't matter, as long as I managed to get the information I wanted and complete the job given to me.

"I have always wondered about the value of the human soul and yet I have never really understood the paradox surrounding it. We covet it for its great value, going so far as enslaving ourselves once upon a time to obtain it. At the same time, humans themselves are fragile and inconsequential, so weak that they would fall before even the infants of our races. It always seemed so strange to me, how we used to give souls so much value even though there were millions of them walking the earth, but now, thanks to your Cross, I finally understand. Tell me, have you ever wondered why only humans could wield Sacred Gears?" I laughed, sensing his apprehension even as he scoffed. More than what made a Sacred Gear, he had been studying why it seemed that only humanity could be born with such power.

"Of course you have, and as one who Watched since the beginning you know that the answer to that question is their potential. But the question of the hour is: Just how far can that potential go?" He was quick with his spears, the light of a thousand holy lances filling the room with searing brilliance as the silver handle once more materialized within my hand and the pure white flame shone even brighter than heaven's arms. "Just how much power can a devil take from a single human soul, much less a hundred?"

"That's it?" His tone was chipper, the light surrounded him; the spears coalescing to form resplendent golden armor and an ominous great ax as the power of the second dragon in the room wrestled against my own strength. "To utilize a human's soul like the Devils of old is a momentary gain: a temporary boost in power no matter how overwhelming. You should know that there is a reason none of the other Twelve ever earned the title of God Slayer. If you intend to test your powers on me, the one who pioneered the study of the Soul and the Sacred Gears, you will find them wanting."

Quick history lesson: Devils have been using the power of human souls since time immemorial, gaining great power as they took on contracts and gorged themselves on those foolish enough to sacrifice to them. The practice has fallen to the wayside with the rise of the New Satan Faction, but the fact that Devils can gain just as much when paid with less just speaks of the power of humanity. Their lust, their greed, their wrath, their sin was enough to sustain us, to strengthen us now when once Devils needed a human soul to merely be called into the human world. He was right though, that the power gained through the consumption of a human soul was temporary, like currency to be earned and spent. But the power granted was undeniable, so great that the Fallen could fight on the level of their Heavenly counterparts with enough souls. More than Devils, the Fallen had perfected the method of utilizing them making them the leading authority on the subject, Sacred Gears being the next level of study.

That would explain his confidence, but all his knowledge only applied to this world's perspective. I've learned that the human soul is much more... malleable.

Here the powers were supposedly transient, that they faded with time but within the multiverse there is a Demon that devoured souls to feed his dark magic. With a staff crafted by a mere Demigod he could take those souls and strengthen them to such an extent that he couldn't hold more than fifty souls within his shadowy form, lest their power spill out from him with destructive consequences. Armed with that staff he could best even the Zeus of his world, in single combat, laying low the Greatest of the Greek Gods using an amount of souls that even the Fallen would call meager.

More closely to how it's used here, there is a formula that exists which would allow humans to ascend to Godhood; a ritual so efficient that a thousand souls would allow the body to completely ignore attacks on the level of nuclear weaponry. With enough souls, the gods that arise are frightening existences, living beings made of whole worlds and dimensions all forced in the form that still resembles a human body. They are beyond the concepts that define the ways of the world, beyond the natural laws that exist to govern nature and reality.

The most frightening I have seen though was what a child could do with a single soul. The strength was so great that time and space bent to its whims, that with this power not even death could stake its claim. When it does try, time and space are forced back and reality restores itself to grant the child new life, and the being wakes up to a moment in time of its choosing, be it a day before death to as far as the moment it realized its power. This was the power of the human armed with one soul, and with the power of seven, it could stand shoulder to shoulder with even something like Ophis.

"I couldn't agree more, though who said I gained this power the way they did?" He didn't know I had the Holy Grail in my possession, and that made the power a bit more permanent if at the cost of efficiency. My powers were not as effective as those I've seen, though the Grail made it much easier to get there eventually. "This is the power of Soul, the infinite potential of humanity that the world is just beginning to tap into, and as great as it is, still woefully incomplete."

The relic I held, the silver handle of a sword yet to exist, was proof of its strength. With a hundred souls I could manifest enough of the relic to match the strongest of the Watchers as long as I held it. It clearly overpowered the strength of the Vanishing Dragon, and if I didn't know any better, the Golden Monarch seemed to be hesitant in testing his scales against the impossible flame. Even though they knew that the strength didn't come from me, they could sense that it was at a level that they couldn't fight, at least not without sacrificing Vali in the process.

"Know this Governor General of the Fallen, Azazel, and Golden Monarch, Fafnir: I do not care whether or not you wish for peace, but threaten those under my protection and the Blade that would End the World will come for your throats."

* * *

In the interest of full disclosure; I'm still alive but I'm not back. I won't be back for the next few months considering a few mistakes I made IRL that now bars me from writing as much as I want to.

I'm sorry for disappointing a lot of you, especially since I couldn't have gone so far without support. As I said though since the beginning, this thing was written for fun and since it's getting in the way of something more important to me at the moment, I'm going to have to put it aside for a while. I'll be writing every now and again, but more than likely the next chapter would come out in around a couple of months. If you guys are cool with that, then by all means continue to read and thanks for staying with me. If not, then thanks for the ride and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (Way too late for that Straist)

I'm sorry for not replying to any of the questions asked to me for the last chapter; I've been really busy with life, but since I committed, I'll try to get to those now.

Any questions asked via rev or PM, I'll try to answer but please guys, make some accounts and stuff. I don't care how much backlash I'm going to get for this, but I can't commit to answering guest reviews.

That being said...

Gerold: No Soul Cutters here, sorry.

Guest: Raizen is who, exactly?

Night Baron: I read your review a few times, and I disagree with it entirely. Though since you have no account, I cannot engage in discourse and clarify with you. =((

Everyone else: Thanks again for all the support, as well as the several suggestions you've raised. I try to take them all seriously, but if it doesn't happen then try not to be disappointed. Thanks for the best Beta in the world, who puts up with me so matter how bad my writing can be(This took too long since the editing time was at least twice the writing time: all my fault though since looking back, the manuscript was basically shit)

Thanks again and see you all whenever I guess.

* * *

 _Riser Character Profile:_

 ** _Weapons_**

 _Silver Bar: (True Name: **Unknown: The Sword that would End The World** ) : An incomplete relic made through magic of another world, the bar is handle of a Legendary Sword though with a paltry hundred souls, its true power cannot be made manifest. Even in its incomplete state, the power within the flames is enough to challenge the durability of Ultimate Class beings, while the flames themselves could be shaped according to the will of the user. Let it be said that despite its strength, it is still a weapon, thus it is possible to steal the Silver Bar away and use it against Riser, though steps have been taken to ensure that this does not occur. One cannot be sure how many more souls it will require to reach full strength, but when it finally does reach the peak of its power, it is unknown if any would still be able to challenge its edge. _


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 ...Tell me 'It's alright', Tell me I'm Forgiven Tonight...

* * *

"What the fuck, Raiser? Just..." Revive slumped into his recliner as a soft, rather tired than gentle, sigh escaped him. From the way his posture sagged, I wouldn't have been surprised if he had practice sighing his life away. His regeneration took care of any life he actually lost, but being that stressed couldn't be healthy. Still, I suppose this is a good sign, at the very least he cared. "You know what? I don't even care anymore. I'm done. Who cares if we don't make it tonight? There's a war brewing on the horizon, right? So why don't we just make sure it goes off now, in the second most explosive fashion imaginable?"

"I think you're overreacting brother." I was lounging on a recliner opposite to him, my own posture relaxed when compared to his resigned slump. While he seemed to just give up, relinquishing all control over the situation despite his apparent chagrin, I sat hopeful. Well actually, I was struggling to stifle the chuckle that was rising behind my throat as he seemed so unsure after so long. Ha! It isn't so fun when you have no idea what to do, is it, Revive? Well, sucks to be you then, you little shit! It's my turn to call the shots now, and not even Loli-Lucy could predict the shit I'm about to pull. "It's not as if we'll die if they decide to team up against us, assuming they would decide to join forces in the first place."

"And that's supposed to be reassuring how, brother? Do you even know who waits behind that door?" An accusing finger pointed at the door leading to the adjoining reception area. "Do you have any idea how much the two of them being in the same building, much less in the same room, changes the political climate?"

Something Infinite and an Artifact built to hold it: if the last time they were used together resulted in an upheaval that shook the world, one could only guess what the Dragon and the Vampire could do together now that they had _three Artifacts._

"The political climate is one already on the precipice of war, and maintaining the status quo will only ensure that we, and not just us Devils but also all our allies, face total annihilation." I looked at the door that separated my personal study from the antechamber.

It was a fine work of magic that allows me to rearrange the very dimensions in which the house resides, enabling me to switch which room a doorway leads to with but a snap and a circle, but that small safety measure wouldn't matter to those who waited beyond those doors. So in that sense, I guess his fears were somewhat justified; but in doing nothing we would be forced to rely on Issei and the Plot that I threw out the window, to get us to the "happy ending" depicted in the novels. Let me emphasize the words " _threw out the window_ ". Are supposed to trust the super pervert to go out and make the story work again?

Yeah... how about no?

"As far as I can see, yes, what I'm about to do might spark a war prematurely, and yes that would mean that everyone in this house would be dead before the hour ends, but think of the benefits, brother." I couldn't allow even a hint of fear to show on my expression, so I hid it behind a cocky smirk as I leaned forward and steepled my fingers. "If this little gamble pays off, we will have single-handedly brokered peace between the three factions: something that has never been done since Creation itself. We get this right and not only will we strengthen the alliance we inevitably establish between the other two factions, but we will increase our influence significantly in the process. If this meeting goes off without a hitch, soon we won't even have to worry about a true war; just one all important battle to decide the fate of the universe."

"And how is 'One Fight to End It All' so much better?" He seemed put off my reasoning, much less condescending and more disappointed as he shook his head sadly. "You're putting our entire existence on the line and settling it with a coin toss. One battle to settle everything looks good on paper, but in the end it's still taking a gamble. Assuming you pull this off, and we win, then everything will have gone as planned, but if we lose then the game is over with no more extra lives; we all die permanently, or _worse_. We don't need to discuss the possibility of this meeting failing yet, but just in case you still haven't realized the sheer magnitude of the _shit storm_ you're starting, we could die now or start a long and painful war we would inevitably lose if you fail."

"I don't see the problem. What you say may be true, but I would claim that the benefits far outweigh the risks." I lifted my arm, holding a closed hand between the both of us before allowing my index finger to rise. "Assuming this does work, we force our enemies onto their back foot by denying them valuable resources; resources that are, to the best of my knowledge, irreplaceable. It won't matter if we can't use these resources for ourselves, it's far more important that our enemies would lack advantages they would otherwise hold, skewing the odds in our favor."

Raising my middle finger I continued, "A second advantage, one that is slightly less significant, is an increase in my own power which could then be shared with the rest of our family. Again, the passing of power isn't certain, but assuming I can convince our guests to work with us, I would manage to strengthen myself significantly. And not as a small, or temporary increase in strength, I mean a permanent and significant leap that should propel me to the upper echelons of Ultimate Class, assuming I'm not considered to be there already."

The ring finger joined the other two raised fingers. "Thirdly, the situation will be forced into a Final Showdown scenario, but only we will be aware of this fact. This gives us the advantage of surprise, especially since our enemy is fond of using more cautious strategies suitable for drawn out wars. The moment they reveal themselves, we strike, and we win: simple. They will not realize their mistake until we have them below our blades and by then it would be too late."

The pinky rising up left only the thumb bent. "The fourth is simply increased pull regarding the affairs of the Three Factions, and maybe the Underworld too. Just think, if we successfully negotiate peace terms then the implications of such an act will not go unnoticed. The house of Phenex will rise once more to its former glory and it would be, well, glorious!" I had taken to my feet at the last declaration, proudly holding four fingers before my brother's face as I towered over his hunched form, victorious, undaunted when faced with his mocking stoicism.

"And the last?" He was tired, all but resigned at his inability to convince me of just how stupid my plan was, though there was a dangerous glint in his eyes as he saw my hand hover so close to his face.

"Well, I could always tell you to go fuck yourself since I was right for once." I felt like slapping him with my now fully opened hand, but it wouldn't be worth the trouble of getting into a fight with him just yet. As much of an advantage as I had built for myself over the past few days, I could not guarantee that I would be able to defeat him without much fuss, or mess. I would win, eventually, but I had neither the time nor the patience to deal with a prolonged fight, should one start.

I wasn't about to deck my brother, who again _actually cared about my well being,_ while we had guests waiting after all.

"Wish me luck, brother dear?" I quipped as I turned towards the door that lead to my des... okay yeah, that was even sillier than I thought it would be. Note to self: just because you are now the protagonist of a horribly written light novel, doesn't mean you get to act like one, especially during something as pivotal as this.

"Just try your best not to doom the underworld with your antics."

That's all I could hope for.

* * *

"So... what is it that you want?" My voice was level, almost monotonous as I addressed my guest, someone who was to be one of the pivotal players in this game. It was just me and her now, the bishop attending to her needs having retired for the night.

Well, that was one crisis averted, I guess, and some new information I could use later. IF, and that was a big if, she could see what Valerie held and simply chose not to notice it, then I would have to tread very, very lightly. If that was the case then for some reason, she didn't take the one tool that could propel her into the spot above the Great Red.

I had to give myself a pat on the back as I schooled my features, letting nothing betray the inner turmoil I was experiencing. Just across my coffee table, sipping the sweetest coffee I could ever make, was the most powerful being in DXD at the time, bar one. In response to my question, she simply lowered the cup and the accompanying saucer, the fine porcelain meeting immaculate wood with a faint clink, before the Dragon God herself tilted her head in what I thought was confusion.

It must have been confusion, I wouldn't be sitting there, nursing my own cup if she felt something closer to exasperation or annoyance.

She was silent for a while, more than likely mulling over what she stood to gain and what she stood to lose if she decided to reveal the fullness of her plan to me. It wasn't exactly something convoluted, but it was a grand plan in its simplicity and the fact that she only spoke of it to those she found worthy of respect was something to keep in mind.

In her first appearance in what used to be canon, Volume 6 if I wasn't mistaken, she only divulged the information because she was confronted by Azazel, the Governor General of the Fallen Angels since Time Immemorial, Tannin, a Dragon King before he was made even stronger as a Devil Queen, and Sirzechs, and who even wants to touch the can of worms that he had become. They were powerhouses, major threats, and possible allies when it came to Ophis achieving her goal and I could only assume that they had some history together aside from that of the battlefield.

Me? I was just a Phenex trying to get by and leave my mark on the world.

Her very presence raised a very important question: Why was she here in the first place? Don't try to be smart; I know that I was the one who invited her over but Ophis being - well, Ophis - had no real reason to accept my invitation. She was the Strongest Being, the Dragon God, the Infinite, and the last time she revealed herself it was in the presence of one of the Top Ten Strongest. The only reasonable, and I use that term lightly, reason I could think of was that Ophis was just that bored. She literally had nothing better to do than to call out a bluff from one of the lower noble houses and see where things went from there. Well, she did seem... out of it at times when she dealt with others, somewhat lethargic despite keeping her wits about her, kind of lazy but still able to do what she set out to do. It was fair to guess that she just wanted to pass the time, and as it so happened I was just the most interesting way to kill it.

It wasn't like she figured out my true intentions... right?

"What do you know about me, child?"

Well, it seems that Ophis likes to answer questions with questions too; I do the same thing sometimes, but she is so far above me that I can't call her out on it without risking retaliation.

Dragons were really weird that way. Her voice was... pure, almost sharp with a strange bell like quality that was so unlike the strange almost lifeless tone I had always imagined her speaking in. Her eyes were like orbs full of stars behind a silver night; beautiful, though the only reason I was able to get such a good look at them was that she was staring into my eyes as she asked her question.

Again, fuck the Novels for pulling a fast one on me, for a second damn time. I should really file that for future reference: Dragons, no matter how harmless, perverted, or stupid they seem in the Novels, are not to be trifled with.

It's fine, keep it cool, keep it calm, and hope that the other shoe doesn't drop just yet.

"I confess, I know very little about you, Ophis, The Infinite Dragon God." I steepled my fingers before leaning into my chair; a gesture of quiet confidence rather than one prompted by my subconscious begging me to flee from the most powerful being this side of reality, who was somehow much, much less helpless than she looked in canon. I was somewhat frightened, maybe closer to terrified, but then again I was sure that if this did end badly for me, I wouldn't really feel it as much as I would have otherwise. She snaps her fingers and I cease to exist, you don't get much more painless than that. "Most of what I know is general knowledge after all, and I'm afraid that I can't add much personal knowledge to that. Anything else is conjecture."

"Humor me then." Her words were somewhere between impatient and patronizing, almost as if she was deciding whether to treat me as one worthy of her time or as a toy to be disposed of when she was done. "It is... interesting to see what the children think of me in this era, especially since my absence has allowed several... upheavals to take place. " Well, at least the pauses were somewhat accurate; that meant that maybe the Novels weren't lying the entire time.

Alright, lets see how I can play this.

"As you wish. You are the most powerful being in existence... except for the two, maybe three beings above you in strength" I paused, taking a deep breath of the night air before it was so absolutely crushed by the power of Infinite.

It was something else, something I had never experienced and something I would hopefully never experience again. Rias's power of destruction, and scaled up we could say Lucy's, had a feeling of emptiness, a touch of The Void that revealed what awaited after death for beings like us. We lived forever untouched, unconquered by time and the passing of seasons; however if we did fall by the blade of a foe, the wrath of magic, or the soft caress of poison, we would face oblivion. The Power of Destruction gave us a taste of that, a foreshadowing of the nothingness we fear, and this was precisely why even I had to respect Rias when she faced me with her own, albeit weak, version of that strength.

We of the Phenex brought forth fire and brimstone, the volcanic wrath of the primordial Hellfire humanity so very much loved to rave about, coupled with the ferocity and unrelenting destruction of a hurricane. We represented two of the most dangerous things that humanity had left to fear from nature. Fire and wind, the bursts of flame that consumed mountains and forests and the massive funnels that would level everything in sight. We were a much more worldly danger, one more familiar, but that was why we were equally feared among those of the Underworld. We represented a known threat, one that could be predicted and to an extent dealt with, but a force of nature: the winds of the hurricane and the ferocity of a firestorm was not to be denied. Our foes knew exactly how much of a threat we posed to them, and like a city in the shadow of a volcano they could only flee or die. They knew our brand of destruction and they feared it.

The Dragons were even more terrifying in their strength, their own Auras laced with unmistakable power when exerted on a foe. Their Majesty was something very similar to our own Glamour but taken up to extreme levels that I would fear to say even the Satans and Seraphs weren't immune to. Theirs was a force of Power, undiluted and undeniable power revealed when they graced the battlefield and made manifest their own brand of glory. Y Ddraig Goch was a juggernaut of ever-increasing strength, a massive sun that would only grow and brighten as the battle went on; a veritable force of the universe, one that could overcome any foe as long as they did not strengthen faster that she did and when she did it, she didn't weaken but she kept that immense power. Gwiber Albion, the moment I did see him reveal himself was a black hole despite his name; a bottomless pit that simply devoured the opposition to gorge itself. This was strength that could usurp power from those who wielded it, taking it for himself before turning it against his foes. The only reason I managed to defeat Vali was that I was just a little bit faster than him, bringing my power to bear before he had a chance to take it.

I defeated the Last Lucifer with surprise, but Albion was the only reason he survived my fire. If it was him I challenged with a fire that could barely match his sister's, I wouldn't have been able to survive that confrontation.

Ophis was in an entirely new dimension of power when her presence fell full force on my head. I didn't know if it lasted an instant or an eternity; the only thing I knew was that at one point I was lounging on my recliner giving the Dragon God exactly what she wanted and the next moment I was on the floor, the rest of the room totally annihilated as I attempted to get back on my feet. The power I experienced could not be described in any way, the effect it had on me was wiped from my memory, but with such a casual lashing she managed to take what was once a very nice room, if I do say so myself, and turn everything within into _nothing_. The very space of the room was utterly decimated, what was once space in the human world now a massive gaping hole into what we know as the Dimensional Gap, a phenomenon that would have killed any other occupant, with the only thing keeping the space around us stable being Ophis's own Infinite Power.

There was no denying the fact that I could have died in that instant, that I had nothing and knew no one who could save me from the Dragon God if it suited her just to erase me from existence. This was the power that started wars and ended them on a whim, power enough that reality itself had to give way to her will and that there was nothing and no one who could stand in her way if ever she decided that it would be better for her if her foes simply stopped being. It was a dream to best her in single combat, an impossible illusion, so it was only right that one who was both Dream and Illusion stood above her in strength.

I could not resist her, not because I had no power to do so, though that was true, but because she had unleashed her strength and struck at a speed that I could not yet comprehend. Within the heartbeats of time, within the smallest possible fractions of a second, she assumed full control of the situation. She wanted me to be silent, she wanted the entire room, the entire space to be as silent as her old home, and suddenly it was so, with the rainbow of Color and Not-color shimmering around us much more intensely than the time I rent artificial space with a spell.

Again I was reminded of what exactly I was plotting against, what I had to defeat if I ever wanted to achieve the 'safety' I desired. I had to somehow, someway, surpass The Infinite to gain what I so desired. I needed to overcome the Infinite, and the kicker was that it wasn't even the end of the road after that. If ever I managed to defeat Ophis in her prime, I still needed to overcome the Great Red, the literal Dream of the World; the manifestation of Desire itself, and the only dragon to defeat the Dragon God herself.

Then there was the Trihexa, and a Hypothetical Third Power that I was sure existed.

No rest for the wicked indeed.

Oh well, at the very least I could scratch 'Dying to Ophis' out of my list of outcomes of this meeting; if she wanted me dead, then I wouldn't exist anymore.

"With all due respect, Ophis, I would have to say that the destruction of my study was uncalled for." I tried to make it seem that I didn't strike back because I didn't want to rather than I couldn't, that I held back at took the punishment because I was confident that in her curiosity she would hold back instead of the fact that I was unable to counter her strike. I don't think it worked, but if she caught it then the Dragon God showed no inclination to call me out on my little bluff. The Infinite in the form of a little girl graciously allowing me to continue speaking and allow my own magic to take effect as I 'stood' in the empty space before her. "I very much liked those couches after all, and the coffee took quite a bit of time to make."

"Explain yourself child." She was thrumming with power, I use thrumming but there was no sound, no special visual effect that showed off her immense... ness. But I knew that she was ready to strike at any given moment; well at the very least even more so than she was a while ago. The difference was that this time she was going to be aiming for some maim-, for some permanent yet survivable damage in the most excruciatingly painful manner possible. She could, hell she would, torture me until she had what she wanted, and in this case I couldn't really do anything but take it.

Well that, or turn the bullshit meter up to Infinity and hope for the best.

"It wasn't too hard to figure out, especially with how the Chaos Brigade has been acting recently. The biggest giveaway though, was the company you kept and how each and every one of them had something to do with the Great Red in one way or another." I allowed myself a small smile to form before I gestured towards the Dragon God with a flourish. "Your goal, Ophis, is to defeat your nemesis, The Great Red and reclaim your home in the Dimensional Gap. The the true question, therefore, is why. As far as I could gather, this is what you fear. You seem to have no problem revealing the what, or your end goal in all this convoluted mess of a war brewing but the why seems to be a bit more... sensitive. "

The air -if it could still be called that- thrummed with barely controlled power before _totally disappearing_ and I could almost feel Death herself whisper into my ear and offer me solace.

I would have gasped in my surprise but it seemed as if all the air, even the air that was supposed to be in my lungs, was replaced by a vicious vacuum.

The color around us faded to black, and though my eyes began to blur I could see the primordial Void that existed before Time began and will exist long after Death meets her end as it enveloped us in a show of power no one in this world could match.

"I could destroy you in an instant, Phenex, give me a reason not to." Her voice was death, it was the promise of oblivion but in there was a tinge of desperation, a hint of worry that no one but the bravest or the most stupid would pick up on. She was threatening me, that was true, but she shared my opinion on the current political climate.

As it was, we were at a stalemate. I don't need to explain how I couldn't touch her, but she couldn't touch me for a multitude of reasons: first of which was that she didn't know just how far my information spread. She didn't know if I had a metaphorical dead man's switch in place, and this information was the type that would escalate the war to a degree that even she couldn't win. And yes, of course I had something in place just in case I died: Revive should have left this side of the Universe by now with instructions to spread the word if I do not return within a day.

If -maybe once at that point- this information reached the light of day, it could potentially mobilize the Great Red himself, and who is to say that he didn't want to fulfill his role in the coming Apocalypse? With Ophis and the Great Red _working together_ , both in their primes, being the only ones able to soundly defeat the Trihexa, all hope would be lost if the prophecies are true and the Great Red actually does give up his power when he meets one of the Great Beasts.

Another reason, and one I fully intended to exploit was that she finally seemed to see some possibility of using me, which meant that though we would most likely have some sort of Master-Servant partnership, she would still be my ally to a certain extent. I, as far as she could tell, learned this information by myself after thinking in a way that would more than likely give others brain damage with the potential end of the world just a flare of power away. She could use people who thought like that, people who could give her a new perspective on a situation. This was likely one of the reasons that the Chaos Brigade was so diverse in the first place; she needed to view her problem through a variety of lenses since this was one of the first times she couldn't just will her problem into non-existence. I was possibly the first being to ever discern her true intentions, albeit by cheating, and from her perspective she could definitely use someone with that capability.

I was a potential asset to her, one much more easily controlled when compared to a True Lucifer or the wielder of a Longinus, and that in itself was something beneficial to her, even more so when compared to the two former beings.

"The first reason you shouldn't destroy me is that I give you my word that I will not betray you, like Lucifer will when he takes your strength. I'm sure you know the true goal he is pursuing now that you have allied with him." I could only try to smile politely as her expression remained that of a stoic goddess of destruction, promising nothing but oblivion to the mere mortal I found myself identifying with. Well, since I couldn't exactly out stoic her, I might as well just milk this moment for all it was worth. "You do know that all he wants to do is awaken the Trihexa and conquer the rest of the known world; Or maybe just watch it burn, it's all a bit blurry to me. You know he wants your powers too, right?"

"The child does not hide his ambition very well, and I am much too old to be fooled even by the First to Fall. If the Father's Machinations are beneath me, the Son is an open book. He pursues his ideal of Chaos, sowing ruin and destruction but he is still so far beneath me that I can not bring myself to care." The adorable- shit what was wrong with me?- little girl seemed to scoff before a vicious smile graced her fair features. "Someone like Amaterasu, or Hades could easily subdue him, and others like Indra and Enki wouldn't even be bothered by his antics. No, his betrayal is not unexpected, but I fail to see how it is relevant."

"And if, hypothetically speaking of course, he possessed an artifact that was designed for the sole purpose of gathering, condensing, and altogether amplifying a power that was made to defeat you on a conceptual level?" My smile only widened when a saw a ghost of a twitch marring her features for an infinitesimal moment. "My research proposes that Samael's blood is something that even you can not overcome, but when coupled with all the corruption, all the hate, all that is wrong in the world, past, present, and future, that ceases to be an uncertainty."

There was a moment of confusion once again, the God before me pondering what truth my words could hold and what lies could be laced within but when the true gravity of the statement struck her, there was no longer any hesitation. She knew things, things I couldn't even imagine, but now she knew that I knew things that shouldn't have been known; that I could speak of things that were so impossible that they were the best kept secrets this side of the Universe.

My knowledge, my mind, was enough of a weapon to bring about her ultimate downfall, and it didn't matter if I died this night or a hundred years into the future. I was the barrier between her and victory, the only thing that could truly put her down for good or grant her desire, and it wasn't even thanks to my power. The Power of Devils, The Potential of a Human, The Wisdom of Heaven, and The Madness of Gods; I was one thing she could either stand alongside, or crush while I had not grown into the power I projected for myself.

At that point, there was only one thing left for her to do.

"I came here, child, on the request of Albion, since the Elder Brother expressing concern for his Younger Sister is somewhat alarming. Imagine my surprise when I found the Red plotting her escape, her form still enslaved to the Gauntlet but a small, almost insignificant part of her soul free to reside outside the cursed prison." She stepped over empty space, walking through the they very boundary of everything that could be and everything that could not to stand before me. "Imagine my curiosity when I found a Devil consorting with a half-breed, playing with the Artifacts of Heaven without consequence. Imagine my excitement when I find what could finally slay my Old Enemy now truly and for all time."

Hook.

The smile on her face was beautiful, dazzling, radiant, filled with such life that the rainbow of Color and Not seemed pale and dim in comparison. But in that moment I saw the facade of Omnipotence, the visage of Infinity in a way I could not comprehend lest the mere notion of something immeasurable be shown to me in its totality. This was the way she seduced those under her sway, with the vision of her in all, and even then not all or we'd be dead, her glory, to gaze into Infinity and be allowed to survive, to understand just what it was and what it meant. "You have offered me everything I could desire this meeting, now what is it that you want?"

"It's simple really." I allowed no trace of giddiness to appear on my face as I confronted the God with a smile of a child. "I need you to continue as you are."

Line.

"Oh, I would have expected someone like you to initiate his plans immediately. With my help it would be easy to usurp whatever power the Lucifer still holds, and since you feel more like a dragon than any of the wielders of the Heavenly Siblings, you would be able to lay claim to whatever power his underlings hold. You would be more powerful than any Devil in history if you simply strike now, and that is not even considering the increase in power I could provide you with one of my serpents." Suddenly we were back in my reception room, the couches materializing beneath me along with the rest of the room, most especially the cup of sweet, sweet coffee she was somehow sipping thoughtfully. "Why would you delay?"

"As you know, power does not equal knowledge and there are some of Rizevim's plans that would need to work if I were to maximize the benefits we would reap."

"Just so long as The Infinite is not ended, I will be satisfied." She nodded, munching on... were those doughnuts? "I believe this is a start to a very beneficial partnership."

"As long as you make sure I'll survive, everything will be fine."

Sinker.

* * *

"Azazel claims that the Fallen walk the road towards peace." My sword hung in the air between us, burning with a fire so fierce that if I wished it, the entire island would be consumed in a conflagration to rival even the sun. The only thing really keeping it from doing so and catching the attention of every country in a hundred mile radius was the barrier around it, one that I finally manage to perfect, preventing the flames from escaping unless I allow it. That seemed to be enough of a deterrent, as my guest continued to behave appropriately. "Still all of the actions you and your brethren have taken seem to be a prelude to war."

"Of course, that was the intended effect. I'm not surprised that it managed to fool even you, supposed Intelligence Expert of the Devils. I thought that was Beelzebub's job, why did they entrust such a role to a child?" The man seemed to laugh as he spoke, contrasting his fine, almost decadent, state of dress with the strange sly mischief in his speech. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say this is what people felt whenever they talked to me, an uncomfortable blend of confusion and irritation, and I didn't know if I was pleasantly surprised that I inspired such a reaction from others, or just plain annoyed at the man before me. "Still, for a race that was born of conflict, I'm not surprised that the impending war was the facet you focused on."

The Angel of the Stars smiled radiantly as he basked in his element, the night sky above us seemingly brighter than normal as each and every star that existed since creation, even those snuffed out by Time, seemed to fill the darkness of the obsidian sky with a glow that had not been seen since Creation itself. The meeting we were having was staged outside, a few hours after I managed to solidify my alliance with the Infinite Dragon God. I thought that I didn't have to wait to try and convince the Fallen, or rather a fragment of them, to work according to my plans. It shouldn't be too different from working with Ophis after all, and if worst came to worst I could simply obliterate them with the power the Dragon God so graciously provided.

Still, the man was aggravating, and surprisingly not as much as he would have been if he was a megalomaniac and a warmonger dead set on watching the world burn in the flames of destruction just because he had something of a misplaced daddy complex. No, this Fallen was annoying because he thought he was the brightest star under heaven, that he could do no wrong and potentially outsmart anyone and anything that came before him.

On the one hand I was inclined to say that he was right, since all we had were book-smart fighters rather than those capable of manipulations reaching beyond and enduring even after the deaths of our leaders. The Angels were able to act even if their God was dead after all, or at the very least absent, while we still struggled to pick up the pieces after our leaders inspired conflict among us. The Fallen had it best, being such a united front that their leaders weren't touched by death through all these centuries.

Kokabiel thought that he was the smartest person in the room-err, on the beach, so I just had to prove him wrong.

"No, it's not that. I'm sure that 'War' is the knee jerk reaction when a party steals the artifacts of another party to try and kill the scions of yet another party, but I'm referring to the aftermath." I allowed a pause to envelop the beach in silence, only the whispering of the wind being heard as the moon watched on as a silent witness. "I mean, of course you would fall when confronted with the might of both Heaven and Hell, but it wouldn't even come to that since you planned for us, or rather the children you were aiming to 'kill', to win in the end."

His quiet contemplation betrayed nothing. He was far from stoic; a slight smile, a nod here and a soft hum there, but all I could actually tell from his manner was that he was listening. He didn't even seem bothered that I was dissecting the plan they had weaved, as if he knew something I didn't about the entire situation. Well, he wished; I spent a few night thinking about nothing but what they could have been doing, both Kokabiel's Cabal and the Fallen as a whole and this is what I managed to come up with after mentally evaluating the situation through more than a dozen rooms.

"You would lose one way or another; your presence there was to test the strength of the Dragon Emperors, or at the very least the Red One. You should have known about the White One as one of the Leaders of the Fallen; Azazel doesn't seem like the type to miss Bring-Your-Kid-To-Work Day. If the Red One wasn't sufficient to subdue you, then the White One would arrive and you would simply take the fall like any predictable villain would." I had to keep the irritation from showing on my face as the man simply smiled before lifting his hands, bringing them together again and again in the most annoying way possible. They struck each other again and again, a slow, almost measured pace that could only serve to irk me as he continued for a few seconds.

That bastard was giving me a slow clap. He was actually giving me a slow clap. Who the fuck does that anymore?

Ok fine, I do, but fuck him!

"Quite astute of you, child of Phenex, that indeed was the situation the Scions of Gremory and Sitri would have found themselves in and after the the situation was resolved, Azazel would bring up the possibility of a Meeting involving all Three Factions and a peace would be brokered among you." The bastard was smug but the delivery was perfect, I'll give him that. Equal parts dramatic, and serious; like a practiced orator careful when interpreting the words of a higher power; the perfect messenger: an Angel by the most base definition of the word. "My defeat would be the realization of the vision Azazel had since the death of our Father-"

"By whose hands, exactly?" I had to ask, had to know who actually managed to take the life of the One True God.

There was power to be gained when slaying a God, power untold, power unmatched, and to know who wielded such power was of course a priority. For everything I read, everything I knew of the novels there was never a full picture of who actually managed to slay God. Some said that the Devils actually did it, which was why we were gifted with those known as Super Devils, but those that knew the truth attributed their monstrous strength to the Evil Pieces, to the Lost Kings that were crafted by Ajuka when the War was at its fiercest. Some claim it was the Fallen who did it, and more often than not I find them claiming that it was Kokabiel himself who dealt the killing blow, but he was always too weak, to easily overcome to bear the lofty title of Godslayer.

If a Piece of Wood now evolved into its own Idea of Truth just by Slaying the Son, what would an Angel become after Slaying the Father?

I feared, and most likely, it was the curse of the Trihexa that claimed the life of God, but then again, such a thing was almost impossible considering the fact that God definitely sealed the beast away, and would have lived if he just stood by while the war raged on. And of course, that only left what possibility, one sure fact that no one can dispute.

"We don't know, really." The Son of Heaven seemed to sigh at the admission, a mixture of anger, worry, resignation and sorrow mixed into his voice. "It was we of the Fallen who broke away first, when the Eldest of us was brought forth and unilaterally decided that the fighting would stop. With but a Word the battlefield was silenced, in a gesture of power equaled only by one other and our dead Father, and then in the eye of the storm, in the middle of Empyrean three words were spoken with enough gravity, with enough calm, and dare I say enough Love that it sent us away. Can you guess them, Son of Phenex? Can you tell me what the Eldest Light said to make us, those stained in darkness, those who reveled in sin, withdraw in grief?"

"What, God is dead?" This was a useless exercise; I didn't know why he was making such a big deal out of Michael, but it was clear that this part of history wasn't covered in the Novels. This was information I'd rather have than lack, but I really didn't see why I needed to go through all this drama.

"Close." He shook his head, and I could almost feel the sorrow that emanated from him when his mind went back to that very moment. "The words were: 'We are Orphans'"

Oh.

Shit, that's heavy.

He must have noticed since he nodded his head with a bittersweet smile. "Yes, it was then that finally, finally, we remembered that the God of the Bible, that the being we were fighting, that we had been hating for oh so long, was our Father. You look to have deciphered our secret of success, that the reason we reign as the strongest, though no one admits it because pound for pound, soldier for soldier, we are far from superior, is we defend and protect each other to the last and love each one like a family should. We are one in heart and in truth, in will and in might, in happiness and in sorrow, in glory and in defeat, and when we found that the One who Loved each and every one of us most of all had passed, _due in part to our own pigheadedness_ , we could no longer go on with the Forever War. These days the conflict between Heaven and The Fallen lies with the humans, and though we fight for them, there has never been a time when sibling killed another sibling, fallen or pure."

"This plan was conceived so that brother would no longer need to fight against brother and sister didn't need to hate sister. It was meant to unite us once again, no matter how slight, how fragile the bond. I gathered fragments of every faction, Heaven would bring the weapons, the Fallen would bring the soldiers and the Devils would be the victims, and at the end of it all I would be the foe that would force all three factions work together for one fleeting moment. In the end, this would serve as a shining example, that though we have grown to be enemies, we can stand united in the face of a common enemy; and you and I both know that I, as powerful as I am, am several orders of magnitude less powerful compared to something like the Khaos Brigade."

I have seen many versions of Kokabiel in fanfiction, but this one seemed a bit different. There was one, the most popular one out there; the monster. Kokabiel was a terror in every sense of the word; an ugly creature that sought the destruction of the world, as somewhere in his heart of hearts he knew that all that war would accomplish wass death of all he was, alongside the death of all he hated. This one was the one that would kill children, the one that would rape those under him, maybe even his own daughter if some of the stories were to be believed, one that desired nothing but for Heaven to fall and Hell to consume the Cosmos. This was the one thrown into prison inescapable, never to be seen or even referred to again unless in the form of flashback. I honestly found it very hard to believe that this was canon.

Then there was the Fallen Angel of the Stars, the True Watcher, the one who still believed in the Heavens above and hated the Hells below. This was the Kokabiel that fulfilled his roll, that guided man to the stars, that showed them where they were in the Universe and how to navigate Fate. This was the Angel who loved God's Greatest Creation so much that he fell to help them, the tragic lover who was twisted by the infinite potential of humankind and fell into sin himself. Still, despite the faults he had adapted, the loss of perfection he was afflicted with all he ever wanted was the best for humanity. This was the sorrowful avenger of Sodom and Gomorrah, the one who laid waste to cities with a heavy heart but not before being allowed to reach the men there one more time, to plead with them and to have them repent.

This Kokabiel seemed more human than them, a bit of both of them to be fair, but with a more human element hidden deep within. He was ruthless enough to keep Galileo whatever his name was alive, to force the issue of completing the Holy Sword Project even if it meant the deaths of so many children. But he did it with the knowledge that he was Fallen, and that another sin on the back of one beyond redemption was nothing. Despite this madness he held hope that he could be accepted, not into heaven, but at least by his siblings in some form or measure. It was a stupid, misguided delusion, but it was a notion so undeniably human that I couldn't help but find it perplexing. He paved the way to his own hell, all because he loved, and he still did. He knew what damnation awaited him, and he would tread through it with hope that somehow, he would find his light.

He knew he was doomed, and yet he wouldn't shy away from the filth he was buried in; he thought like Dante did, that the deeper he found himself in Hell, the more likely it was to find heaven being the mirror, just beyond the depths of frozen betrayal.

The funny thing was, that I believed him; I just couldn't see this person planning as far ahead as I did. He was resolved to enter hell, into the deepest depths reserved for traitors, to make up for what he did, to receive his due punishment for his crimes against his kin, his God, and humanity. He wanted to atone for his sins. He wanted, almost desperately, to be forgiven so that one day, maybe after his death -whatever angels believe on that topic- he could stand beside his siblings and go to wherever it is that his Father went now that He was gone.

Walking in here, I thought he wanted to push for peace by being a martyr but of course being a Fallen, there was a darker purpose. He needed crimes, crimes vile enough to lock him in the lowest level of Hell, and there... there he would meet his brother. This was another reason I thought Azazel studied Sacred Gears, to decipher the seals behind God's locks and somehow exploit the few flaws that could be found there. That part of Hell, the eternally frozen river of rime and despair was one of his greatest prisons, but still it was inferior to the Sacred Gear System itself. Still through the Sacred Gears, its prisoners could communicate with one another, so it stood to reason that prisoners trapped in Cocytus could communicate with each other given enough effort.

Beneath layers of ice, Kokabiel would descend until he found the greatest weapon against Dragons in existence, one whose venom was enough to cripple even the Infinite herself. Samael would be enraged, mad with his hatred for everything and anything but I was sure that the Fallen would be able to work, at the very least, with his brother, and with that the Fallen would have secured a weapon that could make them undefeatable in the coming war. All factions used Dragons to some extent. The Chaos Brigade, The Fallen, The Devils, every mythology that has even the slightest connection to anything lizard-like, and with that no one would be able to safely challenge them except for Heaven, if it would manage to gather itself to the level it reached when God still lived. As far as I knew, nothing would challenge them if Kokabiel managed to recruit Samael, and that wasn't really hard to do.

But that was a plan for a Fallen Angel, not a human masquerading as one.

That was the plan I sought to thwart.

That was the monster I needed to end.

But this was but a man, and if he truly was just a man then one of my other plans just might work.

"You planned to martyr yourself then... for a plan that would not, should not have worked?" I asked, disbelieving. "Where is Heaven's wisdom there? Why pin your hopes on a peace that wouldn't last?"

"But it would, child of Phenex, for you see, the peace I seek for all, including you Devils, is the peace that would come after the End War. It will come, and when all are in attendance we would be given a choice: To unite against the Ones my Father fought so hard to seal away, or to be destroyed one by one as the most powerful beings this world has ever seen return in wrath. This union would be proof that though we have fallen away from each other we can still, just this once, work together." He smiled. "And to stretch that one perfect moment into eternity. I will be damned if I fail, child, and condemned if I succeeded. So tell me, what do I have left to lose?"

Nothing.

"A ploy made in desperation then, I have no idea whether to be impressed that such a plan almost made it off the ground, or disappointed that you didn't take a more... convincing approach."

"I was all but ordered here by the prince, if you would believe such a thing, and told that you were here to provide some sort of assistance. Something about our goals aligning." He looked at me with some form of... I couldn't really describe the expression on his face but it was something close to resigned exasperation or suppressed hope; something patronizing but not expectant, not exactly hope but neither was it despair. "Though I fail to see what you could do to garner Heaven's cooperation."

Oh, look no further, Fallen of the Stars because do I have the spell for you.

"Come inside then, Angel of the Stars, and let us have a drink." I turned away and started walking towards the manor, noting how peaceful this meeting was compared to the first time I encountered the Fallen Angel. "Then we'll see whether you're willing to make a deal with a Devil."

* * *

They were not prepared.

Rias and her peerage were geared for a fight, armed with swords, magic, and Destruction as they faced off against their foe, who suddenly appeared right in the middle of the school's courtyard. Sona and her peerage were there to assist, her own forces marshaled as a more organized, somewhat more experienced force ready to serve as the utility to augment Rias's penchant for dealing damage in a fight. The Forces of the Church, two measly exorcists, drew their weapons in preparation as they looked towards their foe, ready to give their very lives in the hopes of taking back what was stolen from them.

But they were not prepared.

Not one single person was prepared when everything changed.

Vali could only emerge from his hiding place, a look of shock plastered on his face, and totally ignored by the one he would soon call his Rival.

Sirzechs and Serafall followed soon after, coming from behind their siblings to stare gobsmacked at what they were expecting to pit their siblings against.

But most surprised was Valper and his own underlings, the fallen priest suddenly on his knees and in tears and he groveled and begged the High Heavens for forgiveness.

All others, all others were in complete and utter shock as the world changed before them.

"Parlay?" The voice came from the one that stunned them all, Kokabiel in his full Glory as he lifted the Excaliburs stolen from the Church with unseen power and laid them before the combined coalition of Heaven and Hell.

Kokabiel, the Angel of the Stars, Destroyer of Sodom and Gomorrah, Warrior and Juggernaut among the armies of the Fallen, floated above them in resplendent armor, mail not seen since the days the Fallen fought in force and showed that though they were the least in number, they were the greatest in strength. Kokabiel, who came in power, was the one who spoke before them wreathing himself in all the light his strength afforded, hid away by a barrier so that only those still present in the school could see how he shined like the midday sun despite it being mere minutes away from midnight.

Kokabiel was the one who shocked the world, arriving on wings of Black…

"How in Hell or Heaven?" Sirzechs spoke the words on the mind of all present.

...Now flying on wings of White.

* * *

I'll be honest, this should have been posted weeks ago, but since I totally forgot about checking my email, this was buried for a while. But it's here now I guess, and I hope everyone thought it was worth the wait.

Guest: I will assume you are one person, and you're hilarious. As long as you keep making me laugh, never change. Oh and I made it Parody as a sign of respect since some people actually took the time to PM me and say it wasn't funny. =))

Thanks to Qriiz and Maji for the insightful comments. I'll be honest and say I'd rather not edit the first few chapters as bad as they are so I can actually see my growth. I understand people have a problem with that, but its personal preference and I won't really force anyone to stay (as if you can actually do something like that, am I right?)

I've been rereading DXD again, since I forgot about lots of stuff, and I want to refresh my memory, so I hope I please the canon fans out there, though that is almost an impossibility with what I did around here. I'll be honest, I hated Kokabiel's Arc, so I'm fast tracking it... like really, really hard. I also hate the Church here, as a Christian myself, I always found this version a bit too weird for me. Also, considering my bias, assume Angels are going to be buffed, so there's that.

Special thanks to my Beta, Vhostym for making this work. He said I improved so yay me. I'll need to think about how I'll make the next chapter work so you guys can look forward to that

See you all next time, maybe.

Oh and Doughnuts, eat doughnuts; they're almost better than Chicken Nuggets.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: ...I reserve My Right to feel Uncomfortable, reserve My Right to feel Afraid...

* * *

"Parlay?" The Archangel repeated from on high, his voice even more terrifyingly powerful than the Old Testament could ever describe.

The Holy Scripture always implied that Angels were not something a God fearing man would want to see, as they always had to predicate their arrival with 'Do not be Afraid.' This Kokabiel wasn't a foreign form that tore at the mind of the beholder, neither was he an abomination given such a cruel visage that all who gazed upon him were suddenly overtaken with fear, but the power surrounding his form was the sheer might of the Powers, and something that no one in attendance could take lightly.

The humans Valper and Freed, as sinful as they were, fell on their knees as their thoughts were filled with hollow repentance. How could terror not take then when the Damnation that they scorned suddenly made real in their eyes? They wouldn't admit their fears, not when they knew they had been spitting in the face of the Truth for the longest time. They knew what awaited them, they knew of the eternal fate that they would suffer when they chose to turn away from the Light and revel in Sin. They knew, and in the face of Judgement, they could only cower.

The Peerages of Sitri and Gremory seemed to shrink on themselves as Power - the Angelic definition of Power and all it entailed - was made clear to them. They mustered with the hope that they could make a difference should the power's clash, but they only saw the sheer gap that just couldn't be filled no matter what they did this night. The reactions of the group of Sitri were more or less uniform, each and every one of them clinging to one another for support; several of the Pawns seeking refuge at the backs of the greater pieces as they tried to stand strong in the face of heavenly might. The Rooks buckled under the weight of such a powerful presence, falling to their knees in despair as the Knights stood as still as statues as their glazed eyes devoid of consciousness gazed at the Archangel of the Stars. The Queen was the only one who managed to stand against the sheer terror that was the visage of the Archangel, and though she kept herself on her feet and conscious throughout the ordeal, the despair on her face was as clear as his Light against the darkness of night.

They were afraid, one and all possessed by the fear the grips the hearts of damned.

The Gremory peerage was a bit more varied in making their terror known. The smallest of them, the Bishop and Rook having both collapsed in the arms of the lone Pawn, who himself looked up at the Star with unabashed, unadulterated terror. At that moment, all he had done meant nothing and though Dragon in his arm was whispering to him, he was helpless before the divine being. The fear he felt when the Fallen faced him, the despair he felt when he fell before Riser; these didn't compare when he struggled to gaze up at the one who Kokabiel; the Angel was as undeniable as Michael was to Lucifer, and he, even with the Dragon Emperor, could hardly claim such lofty heights.

The Priestess Queen fell on her rear at the display of power, a fear so primal that it couldn't have been anything but the Fallen in her taking over as she feared for her very existence as the Archangel looked down restraining the judgement he had prepared. As the daughter of a Shrine Maiden she knew what Holiness was, and as Queen of her Peerage, she knew just how dangerous it was to be faced with such Light. She was doubly evil in his eyes as she held the blood of the Fallen and that of Devil kind, so it was no surprise that the blood within her screamed in terror and rendered her unable to breathe.

Her Knight was filled with fury as he finally found the objects of his revenge. But his rage, as vast and all consuming as it was, fell back in favor of terror in the face of that which could simply erase his existence. He had been a believer once -it was why he was chosen for The Experiment in the first place- and now he faced down the Wrath of God. Once he had wished that upon those who took everything from him, but now he realized that he was among those who would be damned in his gaze. He had sold his own soul to the Devil and in the eyes of a Servant of Empyrean he was no different from the monsters that massacred his family.

Both Scions of Gremory and Sitri fell into the arms of their siblings.

The Leviathan was quick to catch her sister and whisper reassurance in her ear as she held the younger one close, both to protect her from the holy power that threatened to consume them and the icy frost that began to creep around the area as The Leviathan invoked her own power. The temperature around her steadily dropped; the only sign that she was bringing her own significant power -power equaling that of the Four Satans of Old- to bear. Rage was visible in her eyes as she looked up to the Son of Heaven while memories from the past war clouded her vision. The war in which the lives of those under her command were lost, under the same holy light which Kokabiel was now threatening to use on her only sister. Her resolve hardened like the heart of a glacier, and the cold around them simply hung around them, both the frigid bulwark that would protect them and the icy blade that would leap for the heart.

If Heaven wanted her sister dead, then they would have to go through the Queen of the Rime first.

Lucifer held his own sibling close as he made his way to the head of the group, serving as the wall between the Archangel and the congregation of Devils despite his sister still being in his arms. He was the only one unmarred by doubt and untouched by fear, but there was a certain wariness in his steps, a certain hesitation in his movements as he strode forwards. The power that was so undeniably his rose in concert with that of Leviathan's, a perfectly clear barrier of utter coldness being formed around them as the very air seemed to freeze; the loose molecules of water that hung on the breeze gathered together, as if huddling for warmth in the face of such temperatures. He was the strongest Devil on their side, bar none, but this night he seemed to act the way he did when he first met the forces of Heaven on the battlefield.

By rights, he should be able to extinguish the Angel's light within the blink of an eye, and yet he did not.

"Explain yourself, Kokabiel." _before I destroy you._ The latter part was left unsaid, though those still lucid enough to perceive Lucifer's blatant threat could not mistake the black void that slowly began to pulse from his form. The eldritch energy beginning to expand and contract like a weak heartbeat, but no one was fooled; they all saw the Power of Destruction as what it was: a pit that would consume them all should he wish it. He spoke in a tone that brooked no argument, and an expression that promised death if he was met by any form of deceit, as he asked the question on everyone's mind. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Twice I have spoken, child, and it seems that twice you did not hear me." The Angel tilted his head downwards, his eyes glowing with heavenly light locked with those barely visible amidst eternal darkness, and he smiled. His expression was that of a parent humoring a child, and though the power he exerted upon them was great, only mercy adorned his features; patience glowed within his eyes. "Those who hear these words should know what they meaning they hold, what purpose they carry, and what news they bring: I am Kokabiel, once commander of more than three hundred thousand but now a mere servant, once exalted among my kin but now brought low, once a harbinger of death but now a bringer of peace, and once damned by my transgressions but now justified by the Grace of the Holy One. I am Kokabiel and I have come to parlay."

 _"What the fuck does that even mean!"_

Surprise, fear, confusion: those three emotions could be found on the faces of the Devil congregation and the two exorcists as they turned as one to the source of the voice. One would think that no one would dare scream their anger towards the heavens, save for the two Satans present, but all eyes were met with the sight of a confused boy staring up in challenge at the angel who spoke of things he could not comprehend. His own power, a droplet of water compared to the oceans that were being brought to bear, raged for all it was worth as a dull red glow enveloped his form and a pair of wings, rarely used, sprouted proudly from his back. His anger, his outrage, was being fed into his sacred gear, grief, confusion, and sheer desire bathing it in its own glow of power that emanated from the arm that held it.

"Is this all a game to you?" It was expected that the Red Dragon Emperor would be the one to spit in the face of Holiness and demand an explanation, but the school was silent as the Knight roared against the Heavens. "Do you get off on watching as innocents suffer under those who were supposed to protect them? Do you enjoy watching as families are brought to ruin, corruption running unhindered, and hope choking to death? You're gambling away the lives of children, and for what? Because it suits you feathered bastards? You're all-"

"The same?" The Angel chuckled, a melodious sound that could only be pleasing to the ear and inspire the music that would be symphonies throughout the ages, though all were afflicted by a fear that seemed to transcend understanding. His smile was almost loving as he reached for the knight and gently cupping the boy's cheek with an immaculate, impossibly smooth palm. "Oh yes child, we are all the same at the end."

And how could they not be afraid, when the Angel did the unthinkable?

From right under their noses, he took the boy. With impunity, the Angel took the knight from within a barrier created by two of their strongest warriors even before any of them could react. He braved the Power of Destruction without a trace of damage on his form, and he phased through temperatures so low that the water in the air had frozen in place, yet it was as if the chill never even reached him. He utterly ignored the best efforts of Lucifer and Leviathan, and with all the ease of a father lifting up his child, he bypassed the barrier entirely and carried the boy off, all of which done at such speeds that they did not realize his theft until the Knight himself was silenced above them.

For a moment in time, Lucifer's eyes met those of Leviathan, and they knew that their thoughts were the same: They had failed.

The did not know how, but above them was an angel that wielded beyond their kin. Subtly, they tried exert their tremendous power, to bring to kneel the messenger of the God they knew was long dead, but the strength of the Angel that Fell and now stood Redeemed was not something they could equal without consequences. The Leviathan would have to plunge the country into the icy abyss to even stand a chance of forcing the being of light to defend himself, while Lucifer would have had to annihilate everything within a mile to battle their foe on even grounds.

If the plan of Heaven was to reignite the flames of war, then they had succeeded. To defend their siblings, they would have to resign the land they stood on to oblivion, and everything within would simply be caught in the crossfire. To do any less would welcome the chance of reprisal, and from the amount of Holy energy the angel excluded, even a simple spear would ensure that their siblings, as well as their peerages, would be thrown through Death's Door. They were not Beelzebub, and though Lucifer's control had only improved over the decades, he was still nowhere near precise enough to eliminate something like an empowered Archangel without collateral damage. Leviathan, as her name implied, was a rampaging monster in the midst of battle, bringing the cold touch of death to her foes and anyone unfortunate enough to be caught between the glaciers she hurled at them.

They were more than enough to defeat the Archangel in combat, the only reason they stayed their hands was the fact that only the two Satans would survive their all out attack. At worst, Japan itself would fall into ruin, and that only only bring the ire of the Yokai and the Imperial Pantheon.

They could only wait, hear the words of the Angel, and hope he did not mean to start a war they clearly weren't prepared for.

For if a single Archangel could cripple two Satans, how much stronger were Heaven's Legions when compared to Hell's Hordes?

"We are all the same child," The Angel repeated with a certain gravity in his voice, a commanding, enthralling, terrible sound that cemented the fact that all who heard his words now hung on them. "And because we are all the same, I wish to show you, you and all those touched by the Light, the Glory of what I have seen; the Hope that I hold on to."

A Sword glided through the air to rest in between the Angle and the Devil as it's hilt seemed to lean towards the latter in invitation. It was not among the six that the Angle brought with him: the six that the Church guarded, but a sword forged from the Light of the risen angel himself; a blade of light freely offered to a child who spent his entire life in darkness.

"This blade is the proof I offer you, as well as a choice you will have to make this night." Right before their eyes, the light around the bladed faded to reveal a weapon wrought from true steel rather than a manifestation of Holy Power. With the fading of the light, the angle removed his hand from the boy and increased the distance between them, before a robed arm gestured towards the sinners groveling apart from the congregation of Devils. "I am to test you against your demons one last time. You, and you alone, will determine who lives and who dies this night. You will finally have the power you sought for so long, and if your will is strong enough, you will have the closure you so dearly deserve. If I can promise you anything, it is that I have come here, not to harm any of you, but to see Judgement carried out for Sin long suffered, and message proclaimed."

* * *

The Knight's eyes zeroed onto the forms of the sinners offered to him as he was gently lowered down with the sword. It was easy to see the rage, the sheer hate in his eyes as he was brought to the one who caused his life so much pain and one who revived the anger he thought long dead.

He did not spare a glance towards the two exorcists, as the pair stood aside and watched the Knight approach the pair sent away by the Church. They were content to let the Angel do what he was sent to do, the fact that he was once among the Fallen finding no meaning in the eyes of the two Holy Swordsmen. He silently passed the peerage who had welcomed him with open arms, heedless of the pleading gaze the woman who he could call his Sister, as Lucifer brought a heavy had to rest on her shoulder and ensure her silence. Blatantly ignored those he had known as his friends, his family, as the Red Dragon Emperor seemed to impotently stew in his rage, his burning gaze not at all affecting the Knight. The other peerage watched with wary curiosity, none of them believing the words of the Angel, but he ignored the broken gaze of the Queen whose heart he held.

When he finally stood above their prostrated forms, he closed his eyes.

And then, the Knight thought back to a time when he was called a different name.

Alone with his thoughts, the Knight felt something resonating with his very soul as he lived out the last moments of his life; the last time he ever saw his family.

He remembered how they fought for him, how they called on powers children should have no right to wield as they tried to escape. He remembered how they would take turns breathing into him, and telling him that he shouldn't inhale the tainted air they would bring into their lungs after. He remembered the hope in their eyes as they managed to find a way out of the hell they were trapped in, and the joy they wore on their faces when he, being the smallest of them, managed to escape the walls of the prison. He remembered the last thing Kyrie, their eldest sister said after she gave him everything she had to live on and threw him into the wilderness.

 _"Live and be Happy, little one. If not for yourself, then for us who love you."_

He was dead now. The boy he was had died despite the sacrifices his family made for him. The boy named Kiba Yuuto was made to be a weapon, the perfect knight for his master, and if the Phenex was telling the truth then everything from his supposed rescue to his life until now was orchestrated by the man they called Lucifer. They indulged him, allowed him to keep his memories, and they gave him all the love and affection a pet would receive from a tender and caring master, but no matter how much the child Rias, their King, wanted it so, he saw the relationship he had with her as a means to an end, or an alternative to death.

He was dead, and if he couldn't live the way his family wanted him to, at the very least he would avenge all their deaths and the hands of the man before him.

 _"My roaring, will be that of a lion. Yes, I roar like a young lion."_

The knight began with a whisper, as his soul began to sing with power. The words flowed, pushed on my some unknown force but when they did, his very being was filled with something... different.

The power of Devils was the Power of Creation; it was the power of imagination and willing things into existence. It was something that came from inside of every devil, something inherent in them that allowed them to enforce their will on the world. Though he was somewhat limited in terms of casting it, he had a Magician as a contractor, and before that came the knowledge about the inner workings of magic in general. He knew what his magic was, and he knew it intimately; it was one of the reasons he could manage to create such variety in his Demonic Swords and use them to such devastating effect. All this in mind, he knew when something different was working on his body, especially when the foreign presence seemed to strengthen him so much that...

 _"I will growl when I seize my prey..."_

The power that came was like the rising tide: an undeniable wave of energy that came out of nowhere and filled him to the brim with sweet satisfaction. Suddenly, everything was clearer and with each word he spoke, the power filled him with all the more fervor that before he knew it he was screaming with all of his strength.

 _"And I will carry it away to where my enemies can never find rescue!"_

He didn't know when he grasped the sword he was given, but it was an extension of his limbs in a way none of his swords were. It was a massive long sword, one that required two hands to be used effectively; a weapon that should have weighed him down and went against everything he was as a Knight. Yet, the weapon was comfortable in his grip, and balanced as he cut at the air, performing a few testing strokes and finding the blade perfect as he roared with, dare he called it, Righteous Fury.

 **"ON THE DAY OF THEIR JUDGEMENT I WILL ROAR OVER MY ENEMIES LIKE THE ROARING SEA. I WILL BE DARKNESS THAT WOULD COVER THE LAND AND EVEN THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN WILL DEPART FROM THEIR EYES!"**

The blade fell with purpose, but it was as if the blood itself refused to stain the blade even as two heads rolled.

It was a grotesque sight, but when the Devils watched in horror as one of their own stand in the middle of a pool of blood, the Messenger of Heaven smiled.

* * *

"The fifth Chapter from the book of Isaiah, Verses twenty nine to thirty: Woe to the Wicked in Israel, for the Lord shall deliver them unto their Enemies. Woe to those among his chosen who have fallen away, for the Lord will stand before them and His Divine Wrath would be poured out on those who sin in His Name. Woe to those who claim to be His people and yet keep not His Commands, for the Lord is just and His hand will strike down the proud." The Angel proudly proclaimed as he spread his arms out with all the passion of the Old Prophets. His voice was a hammer that battered the air, and his words held the weight of undeniable truth as the impossible continued to become possible. "The Lord is Love, and the Lord is Mercy, but the Lord is the Lion even as He is the Lamb."

"My thanks, Isaiah." For a Devil had spoken the Words of God and had not been struck down, and that same Devil took what was Holy and did not burn in it's presence.

With all her strength, Leviathan would not be able to carry the weight of what was Righteous Might in the sight of Heaven. For all his power, Lucifer could not speak the Words of the Lord with such passion without being overcome by power that was completely opposite his own. Though they didn't feel the pain they would feel when prayer was brought against them, all the Devils felt the very as the very air changed. Suddenly, they weren't at the seat of their power and they weren't standing in the middle of their veritable fortress. The fact that they had lain circles in the foundation of the school counted for nothing, and the energy of three ley lines augmenting their considerable power brought them no comfort.

Lucifer could attest that the Sanctuary of Saint Peter's Basilica, where the remains of the Gate of Heaven and Earth resided, was more comfortable to them than the presence of an Empowered Archangel.

They could not speak, all except the Angel from on High, being stunned into silence as they took in the impossibility of what had happened.

The Scions of Gremory and Sitri were crippled by fear, of both the Redeemed Angel and the Devil Knight that he somehow empowered. If the situation was any different, Gremory would call out to her Eldest Son, the second piece of her very heart, and welcome him back into her family's embrace. If any other power tried to take him from her, she would have rushed to his side, taken him into her arms, and kissed the pain away if she had to but every devil feared the annihilation that Heaven promised them. She loved him, if not as a son then at least as a little brother, and her heart broke when her body wouldn't even let her take her place at his side and comfort him while rage took control of her gentle knight. The fact that he held on to his hatred was already a failure on her part, heaven claiming him despite his new heritage was just another slap to her face; and now she could never win him back and that killed any words that hung on her tongue.

Primal fear overtook the scion of Sitri and forced her into silence as she knew the power of the knight firsthand. She couldn't even summon the strength to call upon what meager power she had left, not when she knew, in her heart of hearts, that the moment she or any of them acted, Heaven's Judgement would be upon them. She was crippled by the very real fear that not even her sister could protect them, protect her, from the threat that hung so high above them. She couldn't tear her gaze away from the her fears realized; a Devil being claimed by Heaven, and fearing her death, she could only fall deeper into her sister's embrace and feel like the scared child she was.

The guest in their midst, the White Dragon Emperor, could only watch as everything was torn apart at the seams. He was there as a contingency, a safety net prepared just in case the Red Dragon Emperor proved to be too weak to handle Kokabiel as he held back against them. In truth, he already reached such heights of strength that he could have easily taken down the Angel of the Stars but that was before the Juggernaut of the Fallen rose to heights of power that were not seen since the First and Last Siege of Heaven.

The Kokabiel he could defeat was much, much weaker than the Angel that seemed to be able to give Gabriel herself a run for her money as the Mightiest of Heaven. He couldn't charge in, not when the Angel could strike him down with all the Fire that burned down whole Cities of Sin. He couldn't Divide, not when the infusion of Holy Might would destroy as easily as any Holy Sword. He couldn't even return to his father for help, not when something in Kokabiel's presence drowned their very souls in terror.

Oddly enough, both Ddraig and Albion were silent as the scene played out.

The Satans took the revelation in stride, though in preparation, their powers rose drastically, the cold eating at the Light of Heaven while pure darkness blotted out the very skies above them.

"This is my message: For the Lord said, 'Those who are not against us are for us' I offer those who would hear Heaven's words the Lord's Peace. To those who are willing to lend their ears, we will speak about the Truth of the World and the End of Times. To those who would reach out to us in desperation, we offer the refuge of our Lord and the hope that all find in His Name. To those who wish to join us in the fight against our Enemy, we will welcome you into our ranks no matter what haunts the road behind you." The Angel snapped his fingers, and the stars dimmed as his presence receded into him. The bodies of the dead glowed before disappearing in motes of light, and the oppressive aura emanating from the angel was crushed by Rime and Destruction. "I await your reply, Fallen Sons of the Bearer of Light."

"You're message has been received." Lucifer spoke, rising to the occasion and wearing authority equal to the Original Bearer of Light. " ** _Now Leave._** "

Kokabiel bowed one last time before his form faded into the darkness, and once more Devils ruled the night.

* * *

"I never thought you could be so... maternal." A woman in red spoke from the darkness as a single ray of moonlight flowed from the window and bathed her in its ephemeral glow.

She was beautiful, that much was true as the luxurious silk of her dress was as blood against snow as it hugged her form, leaving nothing to the imagination and allowing an alluring view of her bosom. Her figure could put those imagined and painstakingly idealized by the great artists of old to shame; such exquisite perfection that even among those who wore Glamour and Majesty, she stood apart. Even in the moonlight her hair was radiant; long cascading locks of the amber embers of the hearth touched with the finest gold of any monarch flowed down her back, to be contrasted against supple skin that shone like alabaster.

Her crowning glory parted just above her forehead and framed soft, almost enthralling features, as they told of tenderness and amusement. Her smile, had it shone with true light, would have been blinding even as she regarded her companion with surprise, mirth, and underlying respect. Her eyes were emeralds glowing with the warmth of a mother as she rested them on what her companion was fussing over; a simple bed, in both size and quality, with a single occupant.

On it was a boy, dressed in what looked to be a slightly tousled dress shirt and simple slacks, sleeping peacefully.

"Is putting a gathering of children to bed the cause of such worry nowadays?" The little girl withdrew her hands and smiled softly at her handiwork: a boy who could easily pass as her older brother had his hair been black instead of matte brown was neatly tucked under the covers like a child. "I'm feeling... surprisingly generous tonight, and if I was a few centuries younger, I would think that you're a little bit jealous, child."

It was strange to see what amounted to a little girl chiding what looked to be a grown woman, but she who received the chastisement simply remained silent. The woman's features twisted into something akin to confusion and hesitation, but the smaller child simply shook her head and turned away, in favor of staring down the slumbering young man. Without a word, she seemed to relax into the empty space behind her, her form falling backwards in time for a chair to materialize behind her. "It might be strange for you younger ones, but the children of your generation rarely have anything to offer me. This is one of the only times a child, young even by your standards, enchanted me so."

The woman was troubled, and anyone would be if they heard those words from she who looked like a child. Her identity was unmistakable among those in power, and though the woman was weakened considerably, she was not so blind as to miss when such an overwhelming power acted. Her form mattered not; the child was an existence who threatened comprehension itself, and the fact that there were things in this world who could _earn_ her respect was frightening. Earning the attention of one of their kind was something very rare for being outside their ranks, and that usually meant that whatever it was equaled them in strength at the very least.

As far as the woman remembered, only two other beings managed to rouse such strange emotions from the Goddess without being counted among their number. The First was an existence she couldn't defeat without her counterpart, for only when the Illusion of Nothingness met with the Reality of the Infinite could the World Beast be slain. The Second was a Being who claimed the Power of Omniscience; whether it was true or not was debatable, but they knew that he knew enough to singlehandedly seal the Beast away.

The First inspired a sense of natural enmity in the Goddess, as the destruction the Beast would bring served as the polar opposite the the existence brought about by the Infinity. The Second was granted a measure of respect as he went out alone against the Beast and won when she wouldn't dare face him without the help of the Illusion.

The Woman in Scarlet could only wonder what the child did to earn her gratitude.

Well, there was one way she could get that information.

"And what could this child offer you, that we cannot?" She tilted her head lightly, cradling her chin with her right hand while her left was brought under her chest to support her arm. With equal grace, she lowered herself down and worked her magic to materialize a seat that wasn't there, in the same manner the child had done. Some of their kind were devious, plotting like the younger ones did and navigating a web of lies like spiders within their silk labyrinths. At times she was among those who treasured cunning rather than claw, but she was never one to try and play with her enemies. When she wanted something done, her first and last recourse was the most direct approach; that didn't change after years of incarceration.

Especially now that freedom was tantalizingly close.

On a more serious note, this was essential information. The fact that he got the attention of her companion meant that he was already at a level where she had to take him seriously. That coupled with his age meant that he could easily grow into a terror of an enemy if he decides to wage war against them later down the line. The boy had power now, and it could not be denied that he had potential, therefore it was prudent that they identify his strengths and weaknesses as soon as possible, just in case he turns against them.

Her companion wouldn't need to worry about him unless he lives up to several centuries, but the woman was more cautious after her incarceration. She knew that they were allies now, but the sooner she knew how to take him down, or what made him strong, the better she would feel about working with him.

"The boy's mind is as sharp as any of your fangs. I admit that he is more cunning than even I would have estimated." The little girl giggled into her hand as she turned her eyes towards the window, and the starry sky beyond. "His resolve isn't lacking either; the bliss of the young and naive, how I wish to experience such rapture again."

The woman didn't want to comment on how one of the most powerful beings in existence was acting like a schoolgirl, so she simply remained silent. She shifted, her hands resting on the ends of soft armrests as she gracefully leaned back, less to relax herself and more to gain a little bit of distance from who she recognized as one of the strongest existences. Still, she had a very strange expression on her face; brows furrowed in frustration and lips pursed with something akin to healthy skepticism. For a moment, she looked like a patronizing cynic, something that the child was quick to point out.

"Don't look at me like that. I remember how I watched you and your brother coddle humanity." She was quick to admonish the woman, somehow catching a glimpse of her expression in spite of the fact she hadn't looked away from the heavens above them. "It was quite a ruckus you caused for one of your favorite ones; and here I thought you only saw them as tools for your escape then. Didn't the two of you manage to get far during that particular cycle?"

She did come very close to escaping back then, and for a moment she thought she saw the face of her be-

She shook her head, very slightly, allowing auburn and gold to glitter in the moonlight as she blinked away the moisture that threatened to fall from her eyes.

Now wasn't the time to reminisce. They were both dead, her son and he who would succeed him, and though she missed them terribly, they would not return to her. One was lost to the ages past and the other was a soul she freely released once their contract ended. Her thoughts calmed, she took a breath and aimed her emerald gaze at the smiling child. "We did, though as always, Fate has a way of leading astray what is set on a path. Thankfully the one responsible for such machinations is dead at best and missing at worst, so my brother and I have decided to keep that particular cycle buried among memories best left forgotten. We were younger then, more foolish, and but it was inexperience clouding our eyes. I doubt that you would make the same mistake."

"You are either being very brave or very foolish child." Emerald met pits of blackness, a shadow even darker than the void the stretched between the stars, and the smile only an innocent child would wear tugged on the little girl's lips. "Why should my relationship with this child be of any concern to you? You and your brother never cared for the affairs of the world until you were both imprisoned. Until now, you were both content to gather strength and crash your cages against each other, hoping that one day it would be enough to grant freedom. What brought about the sudden interest?"

"The world changes according to the whims of the strong, a war looms over the horizon spurned on by your will, and those who listen can hear the whispers of those long dead." She sighed, repeating things she was sure the little girl already knew. A stray thought wandered into her mind, a treacherous musing that maybe she was being goaded into thinking this way, but she crushed it since it didn't really matter in front of the Goddess. "The world has changed before, and when others insist that it should return to what once was, conflict is bound to erupt. We are both far above the rabble who reach for power never meant for them, but when someone you acknowledge enters the fray, the game changes entirely.

"Only you and several of the stronger gods know how the world was when the First ran rampant, but we knew that with his defeat, life could finally begin in earnest. With the Second taking the lead, the Factions were formed and thus a sense of order was introduced into what once was pure Chaos. When he made his dominion known, several of us were sealed away, others killed, and so began the War among his creations. That War was put on hold when the First was sealed and the Second perished in the battles that followed." She took a breath, her tone absolutely empty of the arrogance their race was infamous for. "I've made my mistakes and learned my lessons from the First and Second; if a Third exists under your protection, I would like to know what I must come to fear."

The child tore her gaze away from the stars and examined the woman who seemed much wiser that she did a lifetime ago. When before, the child could only see a muscle-brained warrior despite her beauty and what cunning she possessed, she could now see a woman who finally learned from her many, many blunders. It was true that the woman was as much of a child as she always was, but still she was beginning to think, and for them, as powerful as those two siblings were, that was a tremendous improvement from their original mentality.

Even she would admit that before her defeat, all she thought about was sleeping and dreaming the world away. Only when she was brought low did she find that she had more strength then she realized, and that there were infinitely, pardon the pun, more effective ways to use what power she had.

"I don't know either." The child admitted with an amused smile as she watched her companion's expression shift from confusion, to outrage.

"You... don't know?" The woman, once hailed as one of the strongest of their kind, forced out and barely held on to the power she was so close to unleashing. She was known to have a temper, but she wasn't stupid enough to take her anger out on one who could so easily trample her underfoot. "How could you not know?"

"I simply do not, child, and that is what makes this so interesting." The child smiled, before shaking her head. She knew that the little heavenly dragon was being difficult, and at first, she had trouble coming to terms with the boy's confidence as well. Still, she could not deny that he didn't seem to be threatened by her, no matter how powerful she was. "The boy has a confidence that is simply... ours. He does not bow to powers far above him, and he has the audacity to weave beings beyond his comprehension into his machinations. He respects us, but not as his betters, but as useful tools he wants to preserve for as long as possible. He is the first to ever look at me with those eyes, and deny me a reason to end him."

"I'm afraid I don't understand." The woman's expression from outrage slowly turned to incredulity as the child finished her explanation. "To my eyes, this is pigheaded foolishness. Either of us could easily crush him on a whim-"

"But neither of us will, and there lies his brilliance." The child interrupted, a familiar hint of pride, again almost maternal in nature, ringing in her voice as she graced her with an amused smile. "He had promised to deliver you freedom, and the fact that you are here to speak with me means that you are closer to reaching that goal than ever before. As far as I can see it, it's within your best interest to keep him alive for as long as possible, because as of this moment, he is your best hope. His failure would not matter to you, as his death would provide little satisfaction leaving you, still trapped in your cage."

The woman could no longer argue her own case after those words were said, as they were absolute truth. The boy had promised her something, and as long as he didn't harm her or hers, he was free to do whatever he wanted as long as his promise was fulfilled. If he did fail, she would kill him, but such brutal catharsis would not free her from her prison.

"And what has he done for you to win so much of your favor?" The woman asked with unabashed curiosity, after she weighed the words of the child.

"He showed me the face of the Beast, taught me inner workings of Heaven, and rendered the Dimensional Gap worthless to me."

There was silence for a few moments.

"What?" The woman had no words.

"I know where the Lord of Heaven Sealed the Beast away, as well as everything that has anything to do with Heaven itself." The child smiled, a disgustingly smug expression on her face, before shaking her head. "That isn't quite right; I _would_ be able to gain all of Heaven's Knowledge but not without gaining the attention of the stewards He left behind. I'm not particularly interested in his Masterpiece aside from the Seal of the Beast. The same goes the Dimensional Gap; the only reason why I coveted it stems from the fact that I knew it was the only place He could have Sealed the Beast. Now that I know his exact location, at any given time, there is no need to idle my time searching that Infinite Abyss. Illusion could drown in it for all I care."

"And when did this happen?"

"It happened when the child ask me to perform two rites of magic." The child smiled, her eyes back on the sleeping form of the boy as she floated from her seat and towards him. With a gentle hand, she brushed a stray lock away before continuing. "At first I didn't know how to cleanse a Fallen Angel, but with the Artifact, Heaven's System simply unfolded before my eyes and bent to my will. After that, redeeming the Fallen was child's play."

"And the second rite?"

The child's brows furrowed in thought. "That was when he aroused my interest. The inner workings of the Second rite eludes even me, all I gleaned was that it siphoned an insignificant portion of my own power and now the child is bedridden, but alive."

"But you used the artifact." The woman argued, almost weakly as she was still shocked by such a revelation. "Surely-"

"With all the knowledge I gained from its use, I should have at least an inkling as to what he did, but I do not, which means that he did something outside the realm of life and death, at yet still required that I reach his soul." She withdrew her hand and faced the woman. "Now you see what interests me; he has given me everything I wished for and in exchange, all I have to do is watch his plan unfold. More than that, his reach spans, in some ways, beyond mine. I no longer hold any interest in the world, but seeing that his little drama reaches its the end is a small price to pay for having my enemy delivered to me and bound at my mercy. At this point, even if he did ask me to personally destroy my Khaos Brigade, I would do so simply because those children are mine and doing so wouldn't hinder me in any manner. Let the rest of existence be fooled, but know that I will follow him, if only to repay my debt and alleviate my boredom."

"So the Dragon God is content to follow the whims of a child?" The woman knew the answer. She did not fear it, but she was resigned to the fact that her freedom was won at such a price. If she ever planned to betray the boy then, she would now have to think twice before crossing the Strongest Being in Existence.

"As long as it is within reason, yes." The Goddess smiled, a beautiful sight to behold if one ignored the malice it excluded. "Rejoice, little one, for War will once again ravage the world and I shall relish every moment of it."

* * *

I've read somewhere that there was a limit to how much pain a person could feel before it totally overwhelmed their senses and they would enter shock. At that point pain is shut off just so you're able to think; it's when the body decides that the sensation itself is no longer relevant and that you should be doing everything you can to stay alive anyway. The brain just stops bothering you at that point, to help you think more clearly and increase your chances of getting you out of the situation.

Of course no one told me that such information only applied to human bodies because when I came to, all I could think about was how much PAIN I was in.

It was my fault, I was sure of that. No normal human could actually compartmentalize as well as I did, and now I was paying for it by experiencing pain enough to make any normal person faint three hundred eighty million times over. You know, this is probably the first time my getting magic hax fucked me over... well other than being in the DXD universe in the first place.

Still, I'm pretty sure that Ren never had to deal with something like this...

On second thought, he did have something like two forms of support, the first being a separate entity processing his power and the second being a head start of sorts. Esoteric extradimensional soul magic wasn't exactly safe either, so I didn't really have the right to complain. I wanted this after all; no one forced me to undergo an operation thought up by a bored god and only performed by desperate people and Nazi occultists so I brought this upon myself.

Though knowing that intellectually and dealing it were two different things.

I tried to take myself back to figure out what went wrong.

Really, anything to get away from the pain.

I tried really really _really hard._

But when everything was said and done, I couldn't even flashback properly.

After everything was said and done, all I got was that I gave Kokabiel a certain set of instructions, I had Ophis reactivate Valerie's Grail, I oversaw the Archangel's Ascension, and I submitted myself to the tender mercies of the Infinite Dragon God.

Or maybe it was Goddess now...

Anyway, the moment she started with the procedure, the Grail straight up took the soul out of my body and ate it. I could vaguely recall the surreal feeling of having my soul ripped out of my body, seeing myself on a bed and all but permanently dead, and then having one of the God Slaying Artifacts consuming me. After all I could see was darkness, the PAIN started and apparently that was enough to overload my mind and knock me out.

Let's ignore the fact that I didn't have a brain at that moment -you know, being a soul without a body and all- magic was, is still, bullshit and it made my soul faint.

Again, this was probably my fault, since I sort of pre-programmed the whole spell ahead of time and simply had Ophis run the program and fuel the spell. It was something like using a Greater Ritual or Thaumaturgical Theory, that way Ophis couldn't recreate the ritual without me, but doing that, while increasing the efficiency and efficacy of the spell, sacrificed a hell of a lot of comfort that came with having a God regulate the magic as it was cast. The power Ophis so casually funneled into the spell itself was easily more than enough to kill any being, and since the Devils themselves have a track overdosing on magical steroids, I was very lucky to be alive.

Again, knowing that and accepting it when I was convulsing due to the echoes of that pain were two different things.

"Huh, you really are cute when you're crying."

Now pain was a very funny sensation. It was kind of like an angry girlfriend; you know when its there, it's almost impossible to ignore if it's aggravated enough, and most of the time all you focus on is how to get rid of it. If something hurts enough, you tend to lose all sense of... well everything else. You might even manage to ignore people who are literally inches from your face if something hurts enough. Some examples of this include, but are most certainly not limited to, ulcers, gastritis, migraines, broken and or severed extremities, ruptured organs, and if applicable having your soul pulled out of your body.

And that meant that someone managed to enter my room, and maybe even my bed, while I wallowed in my suffering.

My eyelids could have weighed anywhere from a couple grams to a few tons but with a herculean effort, I opened them to catch a view of startling amethyst and a healthy shade of rosy pink. My vision was blurred, as indeed I have been crying, but I could make out enough to not care about the rivulets running down my cheeks and let out an exasperated and all too tired groan.

"Shouldn't you be bothering my brother?" I could barely grate out the words as the pain continued to override my higher functions. Talking took a lot out of me but even if I was in such a horrible state, I knew that it would be even worse if I allowed this woman to wring information out of me, information I didn't definitely want to give anyone else. "Did you at least take a shower before entering my room?"

"How rude, you know it's not right to ask about what a lady does in her bedroom." She had the gall to giggle, and I could practically feel her wink at me as the smooth texture of my bed covers left my skin and the sensation of something warm and _dangerously soft_ crept over my back. It was like liquid fire, a certain electricity that was so characteristic of her family that it was unmistakable; the only reason I knew it was her was because, despite the pain I was drowning in, this obvious trap was a welcomed reprieve. "Of course, if you were there with me then maybe you wouldn't need to ask."

Against my better judgement, I took a deep breath, not just fill my burning lungs with air or arch my back to get a little bit of distance, but to take in the magic that was her scent. It was very difficult to describe, though if anyone was able to capture the intricacies of what passion, lust, desire, and carnal sex was and then turn it into something that could be smelled, that was probably it. This didn't really help since it could have either been her Family Magic according to the Ars Goetia, or this was the afterglow of what must have happened last night, when I was sleeping like the dead.

An interesting fact was that the pain was actually lessening the more I was exposed to... well whatever this was and that allowed me to think a little bit better. Good enough to quip at least.

"Why does every relationship in Devil Nobility start with make-up sex?" It was a shot in the dark, just a random thought that went through my mind while I was recovering from delirium but it must have had some truth in it as a pair of supple arms snaked themselves around me and squeezed with much more strength than normally possible. "Should I give my congratulations, or should I begin preparing my apology given that I might have ruined Revive's chances?"

There was tension that hung over the room; no one spoke, but the sound of her serenity over my labored breaths, and the feeling of all of her on my back, from the softness of her skin to the solid strength in her arms, and the magic she was probably working on me made for a strangely comfortable experience.

Fuck it, if I didn't know what this really was about and I wasn't recovering from soul magic backlash, I would have totally tapped that.

"You planned it, didn't you?" Her voice was sweet music, something gentle but firm, almost disappointed but uplifting, and her breath on my ear wasn't that unpleasant either. "He wouldn't have tried anything like that; the last time I checked he didn't know the difference between the Card Captor and the Pastor's Daughter."

"I don't know whether to feel disappointed or impressed that my plan actually worked." I owed my brother a favor for his silence, but it never occurred to me that he would ask for help in wooing the woman with the most political capital in the Underworld. "If I had known that 'SakuTomo over MadoHomu' were the magic words to get you to open your... heart then even _I_ would have tried my luck." I was lucid enough to insert that quick correction before the Leviathan decided to show me exactly why she took the title of the most physically capable Satan.

"I'm hurt, _Rye-rye,_ I'm not that loose of a woman." Her laugh was dismissive as it was delightful, but I did not hear a denial, and that meant she really did sleep with my brother -doubtful- or, and more likely, they were both trying for a relationship.

Still, it was surprising that she was just that lonely; Revive just had to humor her a bit and now they're basically together. Well, I don't think it was that smooth a ride; I'm sure that there was some sort of a heated debate that came before the sweet, sweet reconciliation, and now Revive was most definitely taken in by the genre that was Mahou Shoujo, but now my brother was going out with the Underworld's Sweetheart. I'm sure that there was more to it than that; people, especially beings as old as Serafall and Revive were, didn't fall in love at the drop of a hat, or if they did the chances of that happening were very, very, _very slim._

"I'll bite then; What's this about?" Of course that was heavy handed, but I needed to know what this was all about. It was obvious that she didn't enter my room, creep into my bed, and watch me writhe in pain just to lord her relationship with my brother over. The Government needed information on something, and since the ordeal with my parents crippled our equivalent of a Minister of Internal Affairs, they sent the Diplomat to extract the info.

"My, so straight forward, you two definitely are your father's sons." I mustered enough strength to turn to the other side and stare her straight in the eyes and what I found in those deep amethysts was a mixture of pride and hesitation. She sighed, making me flinch as she breathed on my face but her free hand reached up and ruffled my long hair. "You almost died from the initial attack and now you're so eager to get back to the grind. I would have been proud to have you under me a hundred years ago."

"You're talking as if we aren't preparing for a war." Her eyes held a certain sadness in them, but for me she smiled and shook her head.

"Oh we are, it's just that the wounded should stay in bed while they're bleeding instead of rushing to the battlefield." Her hand, as close to my eyes as it was, glowed a gentle white as more of the pain seemed to fade with her touch. "There are still traces of Holy Light in you, and no matter how much you're brother and I tried last night we couldn't, and still can't, fully heal you. If that wasn't worrying enough, Kokabiel was kind enough to leave you with this."

Her hand left my cheek and with a spell, a circle produced a scroll with the strangest message I had ever seen.

 _Dear reader,_

 _I see that you have come across this missive, and for that I congratulate you. I hope that you have the patience to peruse this parchment, as I am sure that most are wont to do, but take heed that to the uninitiated in the ways of madness, this message is nonsense. To those who are privy to the ways of the world then the message that I've penned should fill you with hope. Though maybe a bit that anyone who can read, just to arouse the curiosity of those who are destined to search:_

 _EVERYTHING IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN =))_

 _Now for the meat of the message: First and foremost, look to the weasel for the truth of the world, and pierce the veil with its inquisitive gaze. Drink ambrosia with the Chariot, the Sword, and the Bow, for through the loss of Perfect Seven you children have gained much; but take care to watch as humans turn to gods for a double edged sword can still slip the other way. What is lost has been found, and though the gate, Truth has been unveiled; this message is the receipt so to speak, proof of purchase as well as the scar left behind after the soul was stripped bare. It will get worse, for that is the way of the world, and there are no Guardian Angels for your kind, but do not despair, for the Dragon is a Chicken, and Reality is but a bitter old man obeying the whims of a child. Narratives are deceptive, and rubies may simply be but shattered dreams, but there is hope yet; endure while time is kind, and when it bids you away, then have a drink before you go. Four have risen for Love, but even as the Playwright exits, Wrathful Light fades, Love turns to Madness, and the Lotus withers, One Last Thought will be allowed before the end of all things._

 _From,_

 _First of the Boat_

"This is supposed to mean what, exactly?" Really, if there was any meaning in those words, they flew right over my head. I really didn't want to think too much of that considering I had the Devil equivalent of cyanide in me and I could just expire at any moment. That took precedence now; I wasn't as tough as I needed to me, and since I was a Devil, that meant I had weaknesses. All the power I would end up having meant nothing if I bit the dust in a few hours. "Is this supposed to be a taunt, a warning, or just some random words on paper, since it's all just nonsense."

"We have no idea either; we Satans, including Beezebub and Asmodeus, are stumped and Heaven is silent as always when it comes to these prophesies. We had hoped that since the words were left with you, you could could give them some meaning. It was a long shot, and the only one we had." She seemed regretful, but not in the disappointed kind of way. Her smile held, and her eyes were still bright, but there was a lingering melancholy there, almost as if... "It's a shame you couldn't give us some information before you died. The fact that you've survived so long was unheard of during the Two Wars."

My blood ran cold at that remark.

I fucked up.

I was going to die.

I didn't know that the power I decided to give myself was Holy, and now I was going to die because it could easily overwhelm any normal Angel.

"Oh relax. You're fiancee's knight has an even greater amount of Holy in him thanks to Kokabiel, and he's no worse for wear. You're perfectly fine."

I could only stared at her with my mouth agape as she pulled the rug from under me, twice in quick succession.

Intellectually speaking, it was a good play. She thought I had information, and suspected it was information I would rather hide. Since she thought it was related to Kokabiel, and therefore treasonous, she made me think that I was already condemned bafter asking me if I was willing to share what information I supposedly had and thus giving me a chance to share what I knew. I would have no reason to deny her since at that point, I was dead anyway, and she would easily be able to tell if I was hiding anything because I was under the combined stress of this pain, and having my death rubbed so blatantly in my face. I wasn't experienced enough to fool her, and if I even tried, she would convince enough people that I was committing treason and they could easily break my mind for everything I had.

And that wasn't impossible since Ajuka's _little brother_ was an expert at it.

"Is there anything else you want, Leviathan-sama, or may I go back to sleep?" At this point I was done. I just wanted her out of the room. I knew that she was good at these things, maneuvering people into a trap and laughing as she springs it, but I never thought she was going to be this good. From the way she arranged everything, to how she would ruthlessly press her advantage, it was almost like dealing with Revive, except this one could leverage her attractiveness against me.

"Aww, you're no fun, little bird." Again with the nicknames; she must have really enjoyed mocking me since her smile was nothing less than brilliant and she resumed playing with my hair. I couldn't even slap her hand away, I didn't have the strength and I was sure she would just see that as a challenge. "Don't you want to know what happened to you after Kokabiel took you down? Or maybe you want to know why you have Holy Light inside you? Or do you want to know how you're little plan went?"

"I could get that information from Lucifer-sama when I'm feeling better." I grumbled back, accepting my fate as I gave her questions a bit more thought. I must have not been thinking properly since before I knew it, more words were falling out of my mouth. "Why Revive though? What did he do to make you even consider something like this?"

"We talked about Love."

A beat.

Really?

I couldn't believe it. My brother, the master manipulator, the actor, managed to win the Ambassador of the Devils by talking about Love? Could he actually do such a thing? Could that giant asshole stop getting off to the idea of himself and actually appear vulnerable to a woman? I always thought that is was his greatest conquest, the best liar would sweep the best lie detector off of her feet, but to think that he was actually serious about this.

It was mind blowing.

"Oh don't give me that look. It wasn't that straight forward; it still started with a very heated debate." She was laughing at me, on the inside I could see her stifling down giggles, but there was a sort of fondness in her eyes as she watched the scene though the lenses of memory. "It started out as you might have expected it to: Was Sakura and Tomoyo truly a better pairing than Madoka and Homura."

I was honestly shocked at this point; only Serafall Leviathan could make something so useless sound like the weight of the world rested on the outcome of such an argument.

"It took hours, and it was honestly a whole lot of nonsense, but we both seemed to enjoy bouncing points off of each other and I would admit that I was elated I could have anyone to argue with in the first place. Most of it was trash, a bunch of imagined histories, imagined relationships between a group of imagined characters held no more weight than we gave them. We were at a deadlock at that point, but only because we were using the context limited to they story and what ended up being more popular to the audience. I couldn't have expected that we would delve deep enough into it to reach the concept of the love between each pair of characters."

The Idea?

"Homura took what she wanted, and though her love was genuine -it truly was more passionate than hope and deeper than despair- at the end of the day it was selfish obsession. It was successful, and for an ephemeral moment in time, they could both be happy but it wouldn't last. It was reflective of reality, of the true madness that comes with loving someone to such an extent. She resolved herself to the consequences and took what she wanted anyway. It was an illusion that would only bring pain if humored and yet showed why people pursue such madness the first place, and having reality depicted so accurately, even if a fantasy was beautiful to me in its own way. I would even say it became the reason I didn't try and take a husband after Sona grew old enough to be separated from me."

"On the other hand, the one Tomoyo was content with letting go of Sakura, resigning herself to the role of bystander while the object of her affection chased fleeting happiness. If the first was a tragedy doomed to fail, this was one that was never given the chance to fail in the first place. This was giving up before the fight even started, and at the end of it all, no one would find satisfaction. Humanity might have fantasies of this, but to us, this is even more maddening than the first, since to sacrifice one's own happiness is absurd. If the first is a sad reality, this is an even more twisted ideal, as there is no one able to give up on their truest affections, give up their deepest desires, so easily that there is no sign of heartbreak. To do so is not a sign of true love, but the characteristic of apathy. Who in their right mind would not despair if their heart was given to another only to crushed before their eyes?"

Though this meant absolutely nothing, I agreed wholeheartedly. I would very much prefer to pull a Homura and take what I wanted than emulate Tomoyo and love enough to let go. It was simply the selfish nature of humanity, now amplified since I turned into a devil.

"But he told me something I never thought to hear from him. He said _'Even if it's impossible, my little brother chose to walk that path. Everyone can see that the one year he proposed is a farce and he's simply protecting Rias from the vultures. It's stupid, but as his brother, shouldn't I support him? Shouldn't I at least try to believe that he could come out of this arrangement, happy?'_ For that I held no argument; how could I when I looked at my Little Treasure the same way?"

Revive, you little shit. Of course he would use that route to snake his way into her heart. Her love for Magical Girls, and then her love for her little sister, used against her in quick succession? How could she resist? He played her like a fiddle all the way...

Wait...

Was this heading to Sona now?

"For all our faults, we have some similarities, she and I. We both look for equals rather than betters or followers. It's why she demanded that those who would pursue her first defeat her in a chess match before even thinking about wooing her. I was charmed by your brother's willingness to humor me, his skill in the political arena, and how he treats you as his siblings, and to respect the last, I will put this conversation on hold until you can properly defend yourself." The pleasant atmosphere shared between us was instantly blown away by a frigid gale, and even as I watched the naked form of Serafall Leviathan rise from my bed, I felt no desire,.

Only fear.

"You will return to Kuoh, and convene with Twilight Healing and Sword Birth to help with your condition, and after that we will have a more thorough discussion on your intentions." She looked over her shoulder with two hard glints of ice before she exited the room. "For your sake, Riser, do not disappoint me. While Lucifer's arms can be easily twisted, you'd find me more than capable of fighting back."

* * *

AN

I am back... ish.

My beta is gone... well we're both busy so Vhos stopped when I stopped writing but can't come back at the moment. That position is open now to whoever is willing (please come; notice the drop in quality... well grammatically)

I'm not sure if I ended the arc or just started an original one, but then again that is what fanfic is for. Koka is now an angel... This is a good place to end it in preparation for the meeting. As for where and what happened to our favorite fried chicken... that comes later.(edit, this no longer applies)

Tell me what you all thought, well if you guys want to, and suggest stuff if you're bored or something.

To those who can decipher the cipher, I tip my hat to you, since I would have forgotten it's original meaning if I didn't write it down somewhere.

Before I forget, I sincerely thank everyone for their continued support over months that I've been away. It still blows my mind that the view count exceeds the word count. Either I'm doing something right, or you all need something better to do.

To those who want Issei fics... well look for every other DXD fanfic/crossover out there. It's usually him playing the staring role, or Naruto because we can't have too much bad Naruto fics amirite?

Oh, and apparently the review section is something of a forum (for like 3 posts thank goodness) please don't argue like that there guests, but since it was entertaining I will leave it up. Next one goes down though.

Quick question, what do you guys feel about me trying my hand at lemons, you know, expanding horizons a little? (be very careful since if ever this pushes through, it would ROYALLY SUCK, and not in a good way)

Thank geasszero for always asking for this update, it would have come out later if he wasn't so pushy (It really helped a lot so thanks)

See you all next time, maybe.

(I really need sleep, IRL can be really rough)

EDITS: People have been saying that I've nerfed the Devils too much so I went and asked someone who has no idea about DXD. She agrees, so I made some minor changes, just a few words but it should change just how Sera and Sirzechs perceive Koka in this chapter. The nerf ray was turned on too high, so I went and corrected that. The genre shift is a bit much, but I assure you that it will become clearer later (YOU'VE BEEN SAYING THAT EVERY CHAPTER... yeah, I'm working on it) It won't happen again, and if it does then that should be a sign that the story is about to end. Sorry for the melodramatics, but it was the easiest way to show that something was different, and kind of over the top with this new Koka.

I also realize that the last scene was completely useless in terms of narrative, since everything it did, I could reveal much better in later chapters, so have a new scene =)).

For the last scene, yes, all that bullshit was bullshit and ended up with that bomb being dropped.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: ...I don't want to have the Pay for This...

* * *

Most of the time, I hate it when my new family pokes their heads in my business...

"You've been busy, my son." Phelimon Phenex spoke plainly; even so, his voice was a deep rumble reminiscent of a volcano slowly awakening from it's deep slumber. "Though I can not say I approve of your... more recent escapades."

Since day one I saw this coming; I knew that my parents, the current Patriarch and Matriarch of the Phenex family, would eventually catch wind of my plans.

They were wonderful parents contrary to what canon would have me believe. The moment they so much as suspected that I was experimenting with something remotely dangerous, they would confront me about it. And I really couldn't blame them for it; if I had a son who was somehow siphoning the infinite power inherent in the human soul from several hundred thousand of them then even I would be a bit worried.

Souls themselves were just about as useful as a simple ballpoint pen with infinite ink.

To those who just want something to write with, it's something novel; I mean its a pen that would never run out of ink, so of course it's kind of cool, but in a world full of computers, where digital data is more convenient to send and receive than ink and paper, it's not exactly that revolutionary.

To a person who could divert the ink somewhere else, say to a massive printer, then it becomes something much more valuable; Digital information is the preferred medium of communication but books, magazines, newspapers, and other printed objects still exist and having to never again purchase ink would be a huge boon.

To someone who can harness the mechanism that allows the ink to be created from nothing, this is the start of the path to godhood; for what else do you call something that takes natural laws and turns them into politely worded suggestions?

Of course, dabbling with souls is not without its dangers, and those dangers are what made it anathema to most beings in existence; including my own parents as it would seem. The long and short of it was, manipulating souls was something like staring into the abyss: you can't fuck around with it without it fucking around with you, and more often than not, in the worse ways possible.

I can't stress enough how many thousands died during the war, even under the watchful eye of Ajuka when the Satan-to-be was experimenting.

Now Philemon Phenex was normally a pleasant man. Compared to us, his children, he was a pretty mellow person; in canon, this was seen when he left his children to their own devices, canon Riser in his misery and canon Ravel when she tried to get into the good graces of Issei and by extension the Gremory Family. He reacted quite calmly compared to Zeoticus when the engagement was annulled in canon, and no matter how much time actually past, there was no real mention of the Phenex Family seeking revenge for the humiliation their third son suffered.

Of course, that could be attributed to the fact that they didn't know Sirzechs planned the whole thing out and attempted murder wasn't really brought to the table, but they didn't seem to mind if the mistake seemed to lie with Riser. It was quite obvious that they loved their children a great deal -being the family with the most children and all- but all that patience, kindness, and understanding melted away when it came to protecting his family.

When forced into combat, Philemon Phenex was a juggernaut feared throughout time and across a thousand battlefields. When angered, he was a flame that burned with cold intensity; a focused beam of heat that eliminated the object of his ire with surgical precision. Very few things inspire anger in the old devil, but when the safety of his family is concerned he rarely chooses to show mercy.

The only reason why he didn't jump at Zeoticus' throat when my mother was reduced to hysterics during the engagement was the fact that he had known Gremory quite well during the course of Two Wars. There would have been much more fire had any other house, save the Great Kings themselves, dared to orchestrate the annulment despite it failing.

So now, when all that focus was brought to bear against me, I could do nothing but try to evade.

"You would have to be a bit more specific father." I tried to sound casual as I sat up a bit straighter in my comfortable chair. I insisted that we conversed in the reception, where I came to an agreement with Ophis, rather than my bedroom though the strength I should have been projecting counted for nothing against my father. "You know that I've spent most of my time, either here in my vacation home, or in Kuoh itself. Quite a number of things can be considered as part of my supposed escapades."

Eyes, as pale as blue flame itself and infinitely more intense glowed with some amusement as he took in my form, how I presented myself, and what I just said. He didn't even try to hide his mirth, the small smile playing at the edge of his lips, the slight crinkling of his eyes, and the brightening of his face; he knew what I was doing and he found it somewhat laughable. "Does the looming threat you have brought over our family, if not the whole of Devilkind, ring any bells, my youngest son?"

"Oh." I began nervously, definitely cornered. Well, that just removed any possibility that we were talking about something other than souls. "That particular escapade..."

"I'm glad that we're able to come to an understanding then." There was something strange in his eyes; when the humor vanished from his expression something else took its place, and I wasn't sure whether it was pity, exasperation, or -strangely enough- pride. "What in the Underworld were you even thinking, doing something like this?"

His voice was patient, exactly what one would expect from a father about to discipline his child rather than a general about to execute one of his soldiers. He seemed to want to establish rapport, leaning forward ever so slightly while wearing a mask that identified itself as loving concern. He didn't press for an answer, his piece more of a thought that was spoken than a query that had to be satisfied; it was an icebreaker of sorts, a rhetorical question that lacked a proper answer though sought to get the other party, me, to speak.

But there was only silence.

"Well?"

"Do you trust me, father?" There's a very slim chance this would work; Philemon wasn't as soft as Lasairiona when it came to his children but as long as there was a chance...

"In anything else, I would trust you and your siblings with the future of our Family Name." He spoke as if it was obvious, as if we could do no wrong if ever both he and mother were to step down as our Family Heads and any one of us was forced to take up the mantle. "But that's only when you four are actually _thinking_. Considering you've been plotting something like this for the better part of three months, I trust you as much as Lucifer trusts his sister's Dragon."

Ouch.

Reduced from idiot son to idiot protagonist; how the mighty have fallen.

"Point taken, though I can assure you that-"

"Son, if there is one thing I've figured out in my centuries of outliving my enemies; it's this." Though he interrupted me so abruptly, he spoke soft, slow, and with a tone that demanded I listen to the words he was about to say. "The moment you use 'assure' the third or fourth time, bad things begin happening. That and you don't try to make an enemy out of the Satans unless you're positively sure that you'd win that particular fight."

If my father's character was to be summarized in one word, that would be wise.

When it comes to reading the battlefield he was said to be equal to Indra himself, and those who face his men in combat come to face the demonic equivalent to the Three Hundred of Thermopylae. His intuition and instinct was, _is_ , so refined that whenever he withdraws, it precedes a great encirclement and whenever he charges it results in a decisive victory. He may not have had the greatest success as a soldier fighting on the front, but every theater he had visited was claimed by the Devils is short order. As one of our greatest generals, the only times he was bested in battle was when he decided to withdraw before any real casualties took their toll.

Falbium held a place of honor above him was because the current Satan was _even better._

The only reason I eluded him for such a long time was our lack of contact. Since all he knew was that I was doing 'something', and all of us -Ravel included- could be doing something morally questionable at any given time, he was more than willing to let us be and idle his time at... well clan politics and all that heavy stuff. Something, or someone -Revive- must have tipped him off, but before I could think about a suitable punishment for whoever betrayed me, I had to get out of this situation.

Even if it meant facing the music.

"What would you have me do." People tend to be more receptive to manipulation if they think that you're doing what they want instead of them doing what you want; it's basic really. "Do I stop halfway, or do I damn it all to hell and take a chance?"

He looked at me as if he expected such a reply from his most headstrong son. What surprised me was his own. "Truthfully, son, I don't know what you should do. I've always quit when I was ahead or carried out a plan with almost no chance of failure. Very rarely have I found myself in your situation, simply because I never dabbled in such risks. Do you halt, bow your head, and hope for a reduced punishment, or push on and hazard success?"

It was true; the biggest leap of faith he took was courting our mother in the long past middle of the first War, and the second was having Ruval and Revive during the decades when the war seemed to grow even fiercer. Still, he was confident in his ability to guard my mother, especially after he had finally won her hand, and here we are now. He was never much of a risk taker, but on the flip side, whenever he executed a plan, it usually worked, baring select outliers.

"If this involved anything else, I would advise you to follow your heart but I have no idea what it is that your heart wants." He seemed to deflate as he said that, hands resting on his thighs in a rare show of hesitation as he sighed. "You really are your mother's son; you and Revive wear too many layers around yourselves. Be careful not to get so lost within them that not even you can discern between the truth and your lies.

He took a heavy breath, and with it, strength seemed to fill him once more.

"What possessed you to do something like this, Riser?" There was no judgment in his eyes, only curiosity, no anger or frustration, just the simple desire to know what was going on in my mind. His eyes pierced my very being as he searched me even before I could form a reply. "You could have easily settled with what you had, but why did you try and reach out for more?"

I had to keep my features schooled as my father finished his question. If only he could see the irony; the devil that seemed to act human asking a human turned into a devil why the latter turned to greed. It was only fitting that he was so celebrated, so successful despite his lack of strength compared to the Satans, and even to his own eldest son; It seemed that he had more virtues, Patience, Diligence, Temperance, even Charity, Chastity and Humility, than he had vices.

Whereas I didn't lack in Wrath, Sloth, Gluttony, Greed, Lust and most definitely not Pride. I only needed to smile in reply before he understood the meaning behind the tugging at the edge of my lips and the slight bitterness that came with it.

"Point taken; I should have seen this coming." He shook his head. "If only Revive didn't teach you too well, maybe then you would have been satisfied with just one woman."

Wait.

Can we go back a few minutes?

You know, I'm noticing a trend here. Maybe I shouldn't expect the worst all the time... but then again that's just begging Murphy to drive his Law down my throat at the _absolute worst_ possible time.

"Father." I never thought I could ever pull of a perfect deadpan; the tone of voice so... _frustrated_ that there was no lingering emotion delivered with my speech. It must have shaken my father quite a bit since there was a bit less wistfulness in his reply.

"Yes, Riser."

"We're not talking about..." Quick, what else could cause great disaster for Devilkind as a whole? Whatr atrocity could be equal to the reaping souls of the freshly dead -many of which I personally killed with some flimsy excuse- to feed my own power? What other calamity could befall the entire supernatural world that would shake Devil society to it's very core? "...Revive bedding Leviathan-sama?"

My brother going out, and possibly marrying Serafall Leviathan couldn't be too bad, right?

It could mean a political upheaval the likes of which would equal the Civil War.

Two High Class Devils from noble families being married, isn't exactly special, and a Satan taking a husband or a wife, or a harem wasn't out of the question until recently, but this particular pairing was disastrous. That was because of the sheer political capital each individual possessed. As the Head of the Media, Revive had quite a bit of pull when it came to information, and Serafall... let's just say she could personally alter the entire political landscape with a single move. To have both of them joined by marriage was just asking for a disaster, especially because of how the masses could easily be controlled by the Head Administrator to the Devil's equivalent of the internet and the Star of the most popular show available to Devilkind.

If they tried to rebel, they easily could; the only saving grace we had was that Serafall didn't seem to fancy the idea of marriage.

Even I knew the dangers of having the more common folk's opinions shaped chiefly by the pair of manipulative, and definitely terrifying, masterminds, which made it all the more jarring when my father chose to laugh in my face.

And it wasn't just the standard noble chuckle either; he was staring at me in shock for all of three seconds before doubling over as his booming belly laugh threatened to choke him. One moment he was sitting up straight despite his seat being a recliner and the next he was doubling over due to such mirth. Hell, tears were in his eyes as he tried and, for quite a while, failed to stifle down the warm and overpowering guffaw that had erupted from his chest.

"That's just absurd, Riser." He finally spoke, though he still struggled to sit upright as bouts of laughter shook his form. "He's been trying that for years now; if Sera were to fall into Revive's arms, then The Prince and I would be the first to know."

"But then why do you make it sound like I'm courting Sona Sitri, father?" I'm sure that I've made a mistake like this before; that I think we're talking about a certain topic and then it turns out that there's a misunderstanding somewhere down the line. I would ask, honestly I would, but when I assume the worst and am proven wrong, then asking confirmation is a very risky business. "I've just recently secured my beloved Ria's fidelity for a year; why would I chose to endanger that?"

He looked at me again, really looked this time, his eyes searching for any trace of deceit as I held firm in the face of his probing gaze.

"Well... this is an awkward situation. It appears that I might have jumped to a conclusion." His smile was apologetic, and he chuckled to himself. He looked convinced, but of course even he knew that was the least of my worries considering his next words. "I'm assuming that you are telling the truth on this matter; how did convincing Leviathan-sama go?"

With a wave of my hand, I materialized a small glass filled with a foul-smelling amber liquid. It wouldn't really do much, all this was just for the dramatics, but I took the shot like the best of them -despite it being closer to nine in the morning than five in the afternoon- and slammed the glass on the table so hard that it shattered.

"That bad huh?" He knew exactly how it felt to be terrorized by a woman, he did have to put up with our mother's mood swings while she was carrying each of us, her children.

"She was naked and in my bed, but since I'm still alive and relatively unharmed, I'm counting that as a win."

Leviathan, The Devil's Jörmungandr, A Beast of the End, The Greatest of the Depths. Serafall wasn't the original but she was the closest when it came to her counterparts. Sirzechs didn't use the Power of Creation pushed to the extreme, Ajuka didn't use legions upon legions to fight for him, and I didn't know what Falbium did, but Serafall fought with rime and wrath, and with her water came woe. Her being naked would change nothing in the way that a Naked Snake was still in its most dangerous form, and she was more than capable killing me through sheer physical might alone.

"I'm sure your brother would enjoy hearing about that then." I found myself mirroring the smile on my father's face as I imagined Revive's reaction when I did just that.

...but it's moments like these that make it just a bit more bearable.

* * *

"Phenex-sama, what business might you have here?" To Isaiah's credit, he worded it like exactly like a butler of our household would when receiving an unexpected guest, but he somehow loaded it with so much venom that he might as well have been asking me at sword point.

"Please don't make this any more awkward than it has to be, Isaiah." The way he flinched when I mentioned his _true_ name was adorable, but I didn't have time to enjoy playing with him. "I was told to come here at around this time, so here I am." The words, _by someone much more important than any of us,_ went unsaid but were understood.

"Forgive me then, Phenex-sama." He bowed politely, his sarcasm reigned in but I could still feel the light tinge of loathing in his voice. "I must confess that when our King mentioned that some important individuals were to visit, I didn't think that you would be in attendance considering your... aversion to the human world. Please come in; if you are to participate in this meeting, to my knowledge, you are the last to arrive." His head still low, he gestured inwards and made way for me to enter.

I stepped in without hesitation and once I crossed the threshold I threw my senses outwards to get a feel of those who were already in the building. The usual suspects were present; Rias, Akeno, Shirone, and of course Isaiah were all in the building.

What was strange was a creeping darkness that seemed to emanate from down the hall quite a distance away from the clubroom itself, a peculiar aura I definitely didn't feel before. It wasn't overwhelming to someone of my level, especially after all the fun I had during my personal time, though the power it held was easily greater than that of Rias or Akeno. A second _look_ revealed it to be... somewhat yearning, somewhat lonely, but at the same time it recoiled at contact and tried to fold within itself when my own aura passed over it. All in all, it was an accurate representation of Gasper; a massive force that didn't seem to recognize its own power, or maybe it did realize just how much ruin it could bring and thus hides itself from the world despite his wishes.

Maybe a visit from Valerie would change that as it was obvious he missed her; the little boy was a monster who was powerful enough to make his father bleed _seconds after being born,_ it was a shame to waste such potential.

Another presence I felt was much more interesting; a Holy Power strong enough to rival the combined strength of all other occupants in the room, much like Ddraig was despite being stuck on the... free hand of Issei. The vessel was much weaker than it's source, but unlike Divine Dividing and Boosted Gear, the prison that held Durandal was one so easily broken that its wielder could will the Legendary Blade into her hand. To most, it's destructive capability was its most prominent feature -undeniable, indomitable Holy Might that it could carve its way through _mountain ranges_ if you just _fucking hit the damn thing-_ but I could tell a shield when I saw one; this was a weapon most powerful when defending instead of attacking. Durandal was The Unbreakable, the Blade that Endured, before it was a weapon of mass destruction.

It suited the niece of the most powerful human exorcist, the legend who was also one of the last who held the title of Sword Saint, though it would seem Xenovia had not yet completed her training under Griselda.

The last presence was what forced me to abandon all pretense as I rushed down the hallway, leaving Isaiah behind me as I practically jumped for the handle. The cold emanating from the other side was telling; deathly chill so minute that it was only palpable to those who looked -a hidden air that despite being so diluted, it retained all of it's potency. Only two women in the Underworld could control that type of cold, and neither enjoyed being kept waiting.

I asked her for this favor; it _really_ wouldn't end well if this plan falls flat.

"Hello everyone, I need a favor." I shamelessly called from behind the door, opened it, and popped my head in just as they were beginning their debriefing. They just finished the Kokabiel arc, and even if quite a number of things changed, it looks like they all survived, the school survived, Issei and Vali have met, and Xenovia was apparently still here.

This was the perfect time to start looking, and with that my consciousness expanded _outward_ even beyond the confines of the Old School Building.

I couldn't sense any demonic energy from her though, so maybe this was the moment she would be getting her Evil Piece. Issei and Asia were notably missing which kind of explained why they weren't aware of the Wielder of Durandal though why they would exclude them, I didn't know. That wasn't why I was here though.

"What are you doing here, Riser?" If it she wasn't trying to kill me with her eyes, Rias' glare would have been adorable. "As you can see, I'm in the middle of important business and don't have time to entertain you."

"Don't be so cold, my Darling; can't you make time for your Fiance every now and again?" I waggled my eyebrows suggestively at her and with only my head sticking out of the doorway, it must have been some image. Xenovia seemed to find it somewhat amusing, if it wasn't for the fact that she was more confused than entertained. "It's been so long since we've last seen each other, and now that we're together again I find that we have much to talk about. Preferably over dinner later tonight. You can bring your little band of course, though I'll be bringing mine just so the children have something to do while we get _busy._ "

"You must be Riser Phenex then, the Betrothed of Rias Gremory?" Rias seemed ready to jump me -and not the fun kind- then and there if Xenovia didn't school her features and beat her to the punch. "I must say, when I was warned about you, I didn't think you would be this... childish."

"On behalf of our side, I must apologize for my... _fiance's_ misconduct." I blew her a kiss when utter loathing dripped from her tongue as she acknowledged our arrangement. She didn't appreciate my little show of affection, especially since we were in public with a reasonably important party present, but it was very difficult to take this seriously considering who were in the room. "I'll be sure to see him punished personally once we conclude and _sent out of the room as soon as possible."_

"I'm sure there's no need for that," I just smile before casually stepping in and taking my place behind the sofa that carried Rias. Ignoring the glares I was receiving from everyone _but_ the exorcist, I looked her in the eye and flashed her a knowing smile. There was one thing that bugged me about Xenovia; she just seemed too fickle, too easily swayed to be who she was and that meant that she was also easily distracted. "Hmm... if you're here then that could mean one of two things, either you're scouting again, or you have something for me."

Before any plan I might have had, involving a person who could have been present all along, I was told to go to my fiancee to confirm with Asia and Yuuto that my condition was stable. If Serafall sent me here knowing that a representative of the Church was visiting then she might have asked said representative to check on me too.

After all, if she wanted me dead, it wouldn't do for something like Kokabiel's residual Aura to claim my life. She wanted the satisfaction of killing me for herself.

"Oh, so you're the one who seems to be exhibiting residual Holy Aura?" Of course, the rest of the room seemed surprised about that, each one of them taking a tentative step back while Rias on her throne turned and gaped at me.

I sent her a casual wink before nodding my head at Heaven's representative.

"Do I take your surprise as encouragement or as a warning?" I asked with a bit more seriousness in my tone, all jokes aside, this was my life in her technical hands, and even if everyone said I was perfectly fine, I really needed to know.

Or at least, that was the image I wanted to present to everyone in the room.

"I'm sure your own medical personnel already confirmed that you have much less of a Holy Aura than either the Queen or the Knight over there, so I would say that you'd live." She confirmed with a curt nod, though even as she finished her reply, her expression twisted into something that implied deep thought. "What did you receive from him though? I'm quite sure that Kokabiel wouldn't imbue with Holy Power after all, though stranger things have occurred over the last few days."

"What do you mean?" Rias, having recovered from her bout of shock at my almost death, quickly tried to regain control of the conversation once she realized that she was out of the loop this time.

"It's nothing of import, dearest. Just paying for my stupidity." I smiled patronizingly at her before lifting my gaze towards the ceiling and made it look that I was trying to recall something. "I really shouldn't have confronted Kokabiel right after he ascended, but at the very least I bought enough time for Lucifer-sama and Leviathan-sama to reach you. No one died, so I would say that a little pain and worry was worth it."

And that was the story.

Instead of the tale being about me causing Kokabiel's return to Heaven, it went that I was the first responder and was easily defeated when I met him in combat. Given that he was able to give two Satans pause, it wasn't that surprising the he supposedly beat me within an inch of death so easily, and this lingering Holy Aura was a testament to how much power he could bring to bear.

They didn't ask too many questions; I was supposedly stumbled upon a large amount of Holy Power, investigated, and had my ass handed to me, so there was no real suspicion thrown my way. Some of the Elders were aghast at how Sirzechs and Serafall let him get away, but once they heard their thoughts on the matter, not even Zerkam could disagree with their course of action.

Still, it was known to all that the only reason the Satans stayed their hand was the threat of collateral damage; I had to learn the hard way that Serafall actually _could_ vaporize the entirety of Japan with a casual spell.

Please don't ask how, I don't want to think about that dangerously short chapter of my life.

Of course, the tale wasn't exactly known to all just yet; most information surrounding the incident focused more of the fact that a Fallen Angel was restored but of course Rias, Sona, and their respective peerages would care about someone like me facing down Kokabiel.

Specifically they would find the fact that I stalled him for them quite... surprising.

"To answer your question, Phenex, you're not going to be dying any time soon so can rest a bit easier. Though if you don't want to take it from me, I'm sure you could ask Michael-sama to take a look once he comes to repay Heaven's debt. I'm sure he would be happy to ease your worries in light of what's about to come." She drained the rest of the tea set before her -funny, she didn't take them up on that offer the first time Akeno asked- before standing up. Etiquette demanded that Rias and I followed suit. "I thank you for your time and your Family's gift, Gremory, and I wish you both a good day, Phenex, but I have other duties to attend to and must be off."

"We are glad to help further the cause of peace, especially in these trying times. The House of Gremory would always be glad to welcome you should you harbor no ill intent." Rias, oh so elegant Rias, gave her parting words just as the niece of the strongest exorcist gave her thanks.

"We of Phenex would rather do away with this senseless fighting and begin officially begin the New Age of Peace. As long as Heaven keeps its word and continues to work towards eliminating this age old conflict then you may call us your allies." Not to be outdone, I gave my own short spiel as Xenovia nodded and exited the building.

The entire room seemed to turn to me when Heaven's representative left though in traditional smug bastard fashion all I did was flash them a smile.

"That went rather well."

* * *

"Now you guys are just being unreasonable." I crossed my arms, plopped down on the comfortable sofa, and threw an ankle over my knee as I looked at my Fiancee with much disappointment. "Of course I would rush over to protect you if something happens! I may be many things, but I'm not a coward and even if you refuse to believe it, I actually _do_ care about my fiancee. I'd run headlong into Heaven if I had to -though it would be far better for everyone if I didn't."

Really the nerve of these people! It was a mentality like theirs that stopped the spread of my glorious, and totally fabricated, epic.

Not really; the Satans were trying to minimize panic that Heaven could convert the Fallen in a more literal and infinitely more dangerous sense. The story, fabricated or not, would be officially known to the Three Factions during the Alliance Meeting, but that's still quite a few days away. In truth, both Serafall and Sirzechs were crafting a more... watered down version for public consumption, preferably one that paints me as a hero going out of my way to defend my bride to be and surviving by the skin of my teeth than a traitor that tried to ally with Kokabiel before being violently rejected.

Still, even if it didn't actually happen, I would have rushed to their side if something bad happened; Hell, I already did when I preemptively confronted Azazel and Vali before the entire mess with Kokabiel even started. Sure it was to gain more power, maybe find a way to further DD's slow crawl to freedom, but a small part of me did it to save Rias, Sona, and their gangs the the trouble and deal with the mess before it was even made.

Honest.

But that wasn't the main issue right now, since I assume that Rias knew I wouldn't say anything: her brother's orders. The main reason why I was here didn't actually involve Rias, well not directly at least. This was just my easiest 'in' so to speak; and some of my minor goals involved steering Rias down a particular line of reasoning.

I had thought that looking for a specific scrap of paper hidden somewhere on campus was hard, doing that while subtly manipulating Rias was much harder.

"So... you weren't just making a show during the engagement party?" Rias had the decency to look sheepish as her face took on a shade much closer to the crimson of her hair when she mentioned my little speech. "You were actually meant it when you read that... that thing?"

"Well of course there would be a show, things would be very boring if there wasn't one, but I wouldn't be a very good groom if I simply dragged my wife kicking and screaming to the altar." I stared into her eyes and glimpsed the true character of Rias Gremory; a simple and innocent school girl who had to shoulder responsibilities she definitely was not ready for. It was no wonder she turned to her peerage as a crutch; to her, and because of her power over them, they were the only ones who she trusted never to betray her or oppose her.

And with a few words, I aimed to change that.

"I meant every word when I said that I was willing to wait, and even relent if you still choose your pet dragon over me in a year's time. I didn't lie when I said that I would honor your right to choose if only you would respect my decision to try." Because that's what she really wanted, even if she didn't know it: the right to choose for herself, without any consequences. She wanted all the freedom but none of the responsibility that came with it. And of course she didn't understand the absurdity of what she wanted. "Is it really too much to ask for a chance?"

Rias Gremory was a strange creature, one who wanted to be respected as the Heir and eventual Head of her Family, but she remained ignorant of the little nuances that her title would bring with it. She wanted to be loved for who she was as a person and yet she only responded to ones whose opinions she could change on a whim with her magic. She wanted power, true strength to stand equal to the strongest of their kind, but all she had been doing before Azazel lent his aid was train others while she remained stagnant herself. In short she was a child, a simple teenager who would want something, who would strive for something with all her heart, without knowing that she was steadily drifting away from her goal.

All I needed to do was convince her that what I was doing I did with her best interests at heart. And since that didn't work perfectly when I was being brutally honest, I quickly contrasted it with the more gentle approach.

Stick, make way for Carrot.

Her silence, the way she chewed her lip as she mulled it over, the faint sparkle of hope in her eyes as she thoroughly searched me for any sign of deceit, all these things and a million other smaller tells told me that she was at least considering it.

"But again, we can discuss the state of our relationship later, preferably over a nice dinner I would be preparing personally." Though the words and the message they held were affectionate, my voice quickly turned as serious as the grave.

I raised my hand and displayed three fingers.

"Originally I was sent here for three reasons. The first was to ascertain that no one was about to die due to the lingering Holy that's present within myself, your Knight, and your Queen. The second is to offer you training." Almost the entire room stiffened when they took the time to process the words I just said.

It was no surprise that Rias was the one who calmed down the fastest.

"And why do you say you're most suited to train us?" Her countenance was just as serious as mine but her eyes were filled with what looked to be curiosity and not a little bit of outrage. It made sense that my victory over her, in such a prompt fashion if I might add, left an impression. "I'm sure you know that I could simply ask and my brother would make himself available to aid me and my peerage. Why should I turn to you?"

She was right of course; if canon was to be believed, she did train under Grayfia, Sirzechs, and Zeoticus for a time, probably before she entered high school and whenever they were available. Isaiah trained under Sakura Saber -more boringly referred to as Okita Souji- who was so skilled with the blade that even crippling tuberculosis wasn't able to stop him from handing _The Battosai_ his ass. Koneko should have trained under Sutur considering how well she did against an opponent which uses fire as a main form of combat. Akeno should have been under the tutelage of, if not Grayfia, then Mathers and being the apprentice of one of the greatest magicians in history was no joke.

They only had one problem, and that was...

"Now I would agree that I may not be suited to teaching you all personally, I am more than enough to teach you all at once." Yeah, go me, being as vague as possible and using oxymorons. Of course they didn't understand it either, but at least Isaiah, Akeno, and Shirone were more curious than angry at this point. "Your respective teachers have done a wonderful job guiding you all as individuals, but you must admit that you fall flat when it comes to team play; you can thank your more... spirited members of course."

Isaiah and Issei seemed to visibly recoil when my eyes met theirs, the two main sources of discord feeling a mixture of guilt and indignation as their enemy, me of course, rubbed their faults in their faces.

I could see the memories of Asia's rescue filter through his mind, his eyes glazed over; the resolve in his eyes when he deemed such a sacrifice worth it was more than enough to draw Rias to my side of the argument. I saw his anger at his defeat at my hands, when he threw orders to the wind one more time. But unlike his success with Asia, he tasted failure then, and that failure -as much as it would haunt my canon counterpart- haunted him even now. The Dragon's Will shone through an instant later; a promise that he would never fail again.

Isaiah's face flashed with shame, but that was quickly covered with acceptance and resolve; Isaiah's eyes met my own but his ashen orbs seemed to glow with smoldering fire within them. Where Issei seemed to be caught off-guard, Isaiah was resolute and firm; that was to be the last time he would betray his master, and in getting rid of his old self, in shedding the life he once lived and the vengeance that drove him, he regained his life. It was only appropriate then, that like Shirone, I called him by his true name.

"I apologize, I've been digressing far too much lately. I will be the first to admit that the feelings of your pieces should not affect how you lead them, or the tactics that you use." No one missed the obvious jab at their inferiority, Rias as an inferior King and her peerage as Low Class Devils, but they were silent even as I smiled condescendingly. "You children wouldn't be able to perform something as simple as a proper three pronged pincer to save your life."

"I will not sit here and be..." Rias stood in a fit of righteous indignation, but for all her fury and all her bluster, she was still dreadfully slow.

It was easy enough for me to stand from my own seat, circle around the table between us, and close the distance. Of added effect, I gently cupped her cheek and savored the look of utter shock as I stared down into deep sapphire orbs. From that distance, her thoughts were apparent to me: one moment I was casually reclining in my seat and the next I all but materialize before her, easily bypassing her guard with a speed that far surpassed her own knight. Anger still burned within the bright blue, but there was a glimmer of fear there, and hidden behind that was what looked to be reluctant respect.

There, I got _it._

"Insulted, my darling? Then I'm glad you recognize such mediocrity when you hear of it, but as much as you wish it were not so, the sun will not rise from the west." There was gentleness in my voice and I called upon the memory of Ravels more recent failures when it came to experimenting with her own brand of Blue Dragon Fire. To make a long story short, she failed at imitating _that_ spell and so I had the pleasure of gently rebuking her even as she lay bedridden from her injuries. "You treat the Rating Game as a _game,_ and while that is not wrong, you don't have the right to hold back yet. I've watched as you lead your Peerage, against me, against this Fallen Incursion, and if you continue to fight your battles like this you will continue to lose."

"I will concede my loss against you." With grace that clashed against the fury so apparent on her face, she firmly gripped my wrist and lowered my hand. She was angry at what I was implying, that it was indeed her fault that they kept losing battles one after the other. Her eyes burned into mine, but there was an intelligence in them that told me she was at least willing to listen, provided that I did the same. "But you can not say that I lose my battles on account of negligence."

I don't know whether she was just this obstinate or it was because it was me of all people telling her this, but she clearly refused to see the truth in my words.

If she didn't lose control over Isaiah, Shirone, and Issei then they would have been able to mount a coordinated defense with Sona -it wasn't needed in the end, but it was the execution and planning that counted. If she decided to leverage her familiars more and moved to end the game against me as fast as possible then Ravel and I wouldn't have had such an easy time dancing around them. If she wasn't so opposed to laying traps and playing dirty then then it wouldn't have been such a stomp. She refuses to leverage her every advantage in battle, and so every time she would lose, it was because they "weren't strong enough."

In simple terms, they didn't use their full strength from the get go, and they didn't work together very well.

Of course, if someone like Grayfia said something like this then Rias would be all over it and the usual suspects would be thoroughly chewed out and trained until they finally pull off the _oh so cliche_ eleventh hour shounen shit. She just can't see that I'm trying to save her the trouble of going through defeat after the defeat before she changes tactics and finally fights like she wants to win.

It's like telling a kid not to touch wet paint; if you can't keep an adult from testing it out, there's nothing preventing children from tempting fate, and subsequently ruin a perfectly good paint job.

Why the hell was I doing this anyway?

Didn't I gain from her weakness?

Wasn't it good for me that Rias and her Peerage, the old protagonists of this shit universe, lost prominence while I built up strength, influence, and plot armor to take over the job from them?

Oh HELL NO!

Because this wasn't a story anymore.

The world of the Supernatural was one of very, very delicately balanced conflicts, and I didn't want to be in the middle of it when things finally took a turn for the worse. As a rising star, Rias took most of the heat when it came to dealing with other factions, and that was with Sirzechs trying to protect her from most of the more dangerous threats the Underworld had to offer.

I didn't enjoy such protection; sure he was watching my back, but he could easily claim that he did everything he could and sacrifice my life if it looked like a viable option. That meant that I only had Ophis when it came to facing down Rizevim, and to be perfectly honest, I don't know if we actually win the fight judging from how canon went down.

Sure, she claims awareness, but that doesn't mean anything unless we test it and fight the Bastard, and that was one fight I didn't want to go in half cocked.

In hindsight, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to beat Issei down during the engagement party.

I didn't even want Rias anyway.

All the plans I drafted would have worked even better if I didn't have the prominence that the victor gained. Sure, I defended my family's honor, and I was enjoying the few perks that came with it; added pull when it came with dealing with Sirzechs and the Gremory Family, the favor of the family now that I wasn't just a pervert who was ready to sleep with any woman, and the respect of my peers, but that wasn't much in the long run. If they weren't watching, I would have found ways to gain enough power to do all that, not to mention the satisfaction of beating Issei down when he asks for a rematch.

Hell, just by using the Grail every so often I was confident enough to piss Grayfia off and live to tell the tale.

This was always the trouble with changing the timelines; dealing with the many unintended consequences.

I needed to share the burden, and that meant taking the path I was avoiding from the very beginning.

I had to make them stronger.

Well, it was that or always being there to pull their asses from the fire when things got too hot and I couldn't guarantee that.

Still, it wasn't all too bad; Issei was shot to hell as a combatant since he lacked confidence as well as ability, but with that loss came desperation and the drive to actually work. Isaiah was overall stronger thanks to Kokabiel's blessing, and when I was through with them, Shirone, Akeno, and Gaspar would be able to pick up the slack that Xenovia left when she didn't join the Gremory Gang.

Of course, first I had to convince her that this was good for everyone involved, and that would come when I could actually use my secret weapon.

I had what I came for, so it was time to wrap it up and go before I missed my next appointment.

"Calm down, Rias. I didn't come here to sell myself, just to give you an option." I spoke soothingly, stealing glances at the wrist she held so obviously that her faced twitched and she released the offending limb as if it was on fire. Given that I was a Phenex, that wasn't too far from the truth; we kind of _were_ always on fire. "The third thing I need from you is your Hard Drive."

And didn't those words grab the attention of a certain pervert in the room? Rias, shame on her, simply stared at me blankly, as if I grew a second head.

"My..." She seemed to chew on the thought, testing the words on her tongue since this was out of character, even for me. "Hard Drive?"

"Yes, if we're going to binge properly then I need to know what you like."

* * *

"She suspects you."

I had just walked out of the school gate when she made her presence known.

Her voice was as professional as one would expect from a woman of her position; clear, crisp and cold. She was casually walking along the sidewalk, perfectly at ease even as she wore an entirely black ensemble in the heat of the late afternoon. I had to admit that her three piece suit -a blazer, a vest, and a dress shirt all pitch black- accompanied by a pencil skirt of adequate length and stockings were much more at home in a formal pictorial in some business magazine rather than that material Issei loves to browse. Her hair was arranged in a clean updo while the fringes that would normally frame her face were blushed aside and held up with a pair of clips on either side.

If she didn't speak to me, I would have simply assumed that she was a teacher, or more likely, a corporate lady passing the school on the way home, but of course there were several things wrong with the image.

First and foremost was the fact that her aura was the one that had been forcing chills down my spine the moment I entered the old school proper, and if that wasn't enough, she made it a point to wear a small blue pin on the left side of her collar.

The Seal of the any Pillar was not something worn lightly.

"I would be disappointed if she didn't, and thank you for allowing me to show you our progress." I replied easily, dipping my head enough to show respect before gesturing respectfully. "After you, my Lady."

I called her over to show her that was I was trying to win Rias' heart, more importantly, I wasn't going out of my way to contact Sona at all.

"I'm still not convinced." There was no mirth in her violet eyes, piercing orbs filled with the cold she was infamous for, but she did walk forward as I kept pace beside her. She didn't even look my way as we continued to stroll, her eyes as cold as they were, focused on the way before us instead of the person she spoke to. "She cares not for your advances, but she humors you for that is her fate as the defeated. She is more likely to stab you though the throat than invite you to her bed. She loathes you; surely you see that much, or are you as daft as I always thought you were?"

"And, as any man of the House of Phenex would, I will continue to pursue. I requested for a year, and for a year I will continue to court her. She will give me her answer once our time is finished; not before." I was serious when I spoke; come what may, I sentenced us both to this awkward arrangement to have a little bit of fun. It really didn't matter how she replied, but to spare us both the eventual fate of marriage, I had this farce drawn up. It was actually beneficial for the both of us since it gave us time to think, to plan, while the elders who somehow still held sway were satisfied. Once we do cut it off, then it would be on more favorable terms, and no one would need to suffer any backlash. "I simply seek to get to know her for now; her interests intersect with mine as far as I can tell, and if all goes well, we would be having Binge Nights as well. Maybe we'd be able to cosplay at conventions as well if time permits."

"...A wise move." There was a strange inflection in her voice, something that sounded like the makings of laughter and when I looked over towards the most Physical of the Devil Kings, I saw what looked to be splashes of vermilion on her face.

Huh, she must have enjoyed the date I planned for them.

Once again, it awed me how easy it was to enter her heart; one simply needed to humor her interests, help shoulder her burdens, listen to her thoughts, and share in her happiness. To the woman known to all as Serafall Leviathan, that apparently meant sifting through gigabytes worth of Mahou Shoujo manga and anime, and maybe drawing some art here and there, participating in the collective cultural narrative known as cosplay, and just sitting down and having a nice, quiet dinner with her after a long week of dealing with the Supernatural world, including the mess Kokabiel made with the rest of the world. Then again, some would say that way to any wealthy woman's heart was simply to spend time with her, but I didn't like to generalize. Props to Revive, he must have known exactly what to do and he might have even had some fun himself since the Ice Queen Serafall herself was fighting down a blush when I mentioned their date.

Or then again, it could have just been the lighting; it was sunset.

"I'm glad you had fun, Serafall-sama." I teased with a smile and was pleasantly surprised that she didn't think that deserved a spike to the head, or a thousand.

"We're talking about your love life, Rye; this is neither the time nor place to bring up mine." I would have to hand it to her though; the way she delivered that statement in perfect deadpan, the perfect cadence of her casual stride, and the fact that she didn't even stop to admire how the mere mention of my nickname caused me to stumble, spoke of self control that earned her the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. "They say that Love is a War, and this is one that you won't win."

I couldn't help but laugh that time, and that certainly earned her attention.

"I apologize, I did not mean to offend." She even stopped for me. There was a curious look in her eyes, beneath inhuman self control and apparent apathy. "It's just that my father said the same words once upon a time, though he directed them to Revive. Look where were now."

"But unlike, Rias, I was willing to wait while your brother stumbled along all the paths to courting me. I highly doubt you would be able to change her mind in a year." There was a twinge of pity in her voice as she spoke, her eyes turning away from me to peer at the setting sun.

That was strange, I had thought this place would be a bit father than this.

Somehow we had managed to walk all the way to where Issei was killed.

How apt.

"Regardless of the result, I will try all the same." Pity meant that she cared, and that in turn, meant that she thought she looked at a love doomed to fail rather than a ploy to buy time. This was the coup de grâce. "I will be happy if she realizes that I could bring her joy. If she feels that someone else would give her than happiness, then who am I to stand in their way. If she walks away from this with a genuine smile on her face, then I would have accomplished what I set out to do."

"Then that would make you a fool, for no one would wound themselves so painfully for an ending like that." She shook her head. "Walk down your path, but know this: that way lay despair and heartbreak. My Father said that the Gremory when loves, they do so like a mandrake; for them to let go would be the death of them and to try and separate them from their affliction would only bring pain.

She sighed; it was a tired breath.

I hope you are true, for I raised Sona alongside Ria; she might not be as precious to me as Sona is, but I will be... upset if _you_ of all people break her heart."

"Does that mean I pass then?" I'd be the first to admit that her latest spiel was a bit strange, but that showed that she kind of bought that I was going for Rias. Even if she had her doubts, at the very least I made it seem like Rias was my main love interest, but then again she made it very clear that she wouldn't appreciate it I were to pine for Sona.

"Show me the document and our business is concluded." Let it not be said that she wasn't thorough. Even after all that, even if she seemed... lets say 56% convinced that I wasn't romantically interested in Sona, she still wanted something like physical proof. "It was the reason we're both here anyway."

That's right.

I wasn't really worried about dying to light at that point; I came to the realization that it wasn't exactly as rare as canon made it out to be. Sure, Akeno, Isaiah, Asia, and Xenovia had it as Devils, but they also seemed to be able to interact and fight along side Heaven on many occasions. The fact that there were able to work so well with Irina even after she turned Angel meant that Holy, unless used directly against a Devil, wasn't exactly harmful to them. It was something like a naked blade; it doesn't really hurt to look at it, or touch it as long as you're careful. It doesn't mean that a good stroke can't take your head off in the right hands.

I wanted to train Rias and her Peerage but I could have always done that with Azazel and denied her the choice. I was already in that position as Mifune Suzaku so it wouldn't have been much of a stretch if I "volunteered' the services of Riser's Peerage and trained them using that persona. I could also funnel my findings and methods to Azazel to save the the trouble of interacting with them in the first place and at the same time ensure that they had the knowledge and power to overcome the problems I wouldn't be there to deal with. I basically neutralized Rizevim's plans, Vali should be more cooperative, Ophis was inclined to follow my lead, DD was ready to help out her newest "son", and the rest were easy enough to deal with.

Well, maybe not the Hero Faction and Indra or other Gods' various plans, but I would be dealing with those.

What I was really there for was to grab a certain document I was required to sign when I applied for the job in the first place, and that was what I was doing when I was stretching my senses while talking to Rias. It wasn't really that hard to find, but trying to reach out with my magic power without anyone noticing slowed down the process considerably. Given any other situation, I would have simply stormed in and took what I wanted, but it was better to be good a stealth and never need it, or suck at hiding and die when facing an opponent who could instantly destroy me.

Like her.

"This Waiver, in simple terms, states that the one who signs it is no longer eligible to pursue the hand of Sona Sitri after defeating her in the game of her choosing." I read out the _TLDR_ part of the text before giving it to Serafall for her to examine. "The proof you wanted, my Lady. I trust that it has been accomplished to your satisfaction, as well as filled away at the time I claimed it to be."

She took the simple piece of paper and eyed it almost cautiously. "It's been signed by my father." She noted, as if surprised that I actually was telling the truth.

"And you think that I would lie about it?"

"I wouldn't put it past you." She returned her gaze to me. How rude, I wasn't nearly confident enough to lie about _official documents_. "Would I be correct to assume that this isn't the sole copy of the document?"

"Yes, this is simply a copy of the one hidden among the school's files. If it eases your worries, The Prince was there to personally collect his own copy a few days after the Sitri Family officially welcomed me as part of the faculty." It really didn't do anything judging from her expression, but one could never tell with her type. If she can pass off her persona as a happy-go-lucky Magical Girl as normal then I don't want to know what else she was hiding. "About the coming conference..."

"Yes, your presence will be required there. That's when we'll be declassifying the events of Kokabiel's ascension as well as confirming if he truly did join Heaven's Ranks." She folded the document neatly into three before storing it within the inner pocket of he blazer. "If Azazel and Sirzechs are right, you might be needed to play a more... active role. Bring your best on the day of the Summit, I would rather we didn't need it but we must not let those who challenge us think the Devils are weak."

"The leaders will not be joining the fray then? ...If ever it was required of course." More than them knowing about the attack -let's be real here, the first Truce being brokered between the Three Factions was going to get attention- I was more interested in the implication that none of the Leaders were supposed to fight if ever the Khaos Brigade attacked. "This is all to be another show?"

"You seemed confident enough to take them on when you were reporting about your confrontation with Azazel and Lucifer. Let's just say we lose nothing if they're stronger than you anticipated." For the first time since she fetched me form the gate, there was a sly smile playing on her lips. Against, the sunset, I would have to be blind not to have called it dazzling. "Though I wouldn't complain if you gave me a chance to play Hero with my little sister again; hypothetically of course."

"Are you sure it's just that, or are you excited to see me get taken down a few pegs? Maybe tell my insufferable older brother about it?" Now that business was over, she was no longer Leviathan; a woman ready to rain cold hell on whoever was trying to court her little sister. Sera, the woman who my brother was courting with my help, winked ever as she tried to stifle down light laughter. "Next thing you're going to tell me is that you think Class Visits are going to be held next month or something like that."

"I may no longer have any real authority over the school but I still remember the general schedule of the more important events." She proclaimed proudly. "Being a good elder sister, I made sure to arrange an entire week off exactly two months from now."

For everyone's information, they were being held next week.

* * *

 **AN**

 **I will admit, I was supposed to post this two days ago, Christmas Eve here, but then I got carried away with all the family gatherings, food, and all that warm holiday fuzziness**

 **That being said, I hope that this chapter finds everyone well, and that it's much easier to understand when compared to chapter 12, which admittedly was some mess I managed to write out. This might seem something like filler, and some parts are but I wanted to explore the dynamics between characters, Phenex Dad which has been untouched since chapter 3, Serafall for the lulz, and Rias the supposed but not actual Love Interest. I don't know if I kept Rias in character, but Serafall here is my own interpretation so there's that.**

 **Next Chapter, we'll jump straight to shenanigans, it should cover the class visit and our favorite vampire as well as some characters you guys didn't expect to see early on.**

 **Also, again this chapter is not beta'd so I'm going to be editing a bit for a few weeks just to make sure it's readable.**

 **Merry Christmas for all the fellow Christians out there, Happy Holidays to everyone else who's offended by the earlier statement.**

 **Thanks for sticking by this (I'll admit that some parts are kind of trash) but it's always nice to see people reading what you write. Makes it seem much better than it actually is. Please leave any comments, suggestions, reviews, and the like if you're bothered. Questions will be answered ASAP, as long as you guys have an account. If you comment on your confusion, I won't generally go and explain the plot since that ruins the fun.**

 **Ask as you shall receive, well most of the time.**

 **That's it.**

 **See you all next time, maybe.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: ...I am not Standing Still, I am Lying in Wait...

* * *

"You don't have to be mad, you know?" I found myself looking down at a little girl, all but buried in the blankets between my arms as she continued to sulk. I was wearing a smile myself and trying my hardest to draw one from her though she resolutely huffed at my efforts and averted her ruby red eyes.

"He called Father a liar..." She mumbled into my sleeves, snuggling her adorable little head deeper into my embrace as she continued to grumble. "Father doesn't lie... not to me. Right?"

"Of course, he doesn't." I tried to appease her, but even I could tell my voice was a bit too patronizing. "But you have to understand that the situation was... not normal."

I admit I could have worded it better but children are strange creatures.

There were certain things you couldn't tell them, and certain things they would just blatantly ignore during the course of the conversation. Still, they were very attentive to whatever you were saying, and more often then not, they knew when you were trying to hide something, trying to fool them, or trying to play something off as much lighter than it is. They could read between the lines fairly well, and a very rare few could tell whatever it is you want to say even before you open your mouth. They have that damnable curiosity too, the kind that makes them ask for answers they aren't ready for and questions they shouldn't even know about, and that meant that you had to be doubly careful not to say something you'd regret.

"I mean, Grandfather said it too! Lica's Father really tried to kill Big Brother, right?" She demanded, striking my thighs with her little fists as she turned her head upwards. Once more I was overcome with a strange urge to cuddle and spoil her more, but a situation like this required a patient mind and a firm hand. My default response was to smile and nod, though it did almost nothing as she resumed her tirade. "Lica is being so... so... ahh! Idiot! Stupid Idiot! Just because your father's the Maou doesn't mean he can't be stupid! Stupid Dummy Idiot Moron Dunderhead No-Brain Halfwit Mindless Spaz!"

I mean, how else would my niece know that I was within inches of death during my own engagement party?

Ah introductions; Rhodalis Phenex, my niece at age seven had enough Moe that if weaponized would bring low even the Trihexa, especially when she pouted like she was doing now.

She obviously didn't take my explanation very well.

Ruie had her hair cut short in an almost boyish cut but in the same way it applies to all women, her short hair only highlighted her darling features. She was a very small thing for her age, though with wide expressive eyes that shone like the sunset, skin of porcelain that actually painted our porcelain pale in comparison, and a smile that would shine like the very sun, she had a doll-like allure about her; not like _that_ you fucking perverts. In so little words, I almost shouted the title of a certain Light Novel when she called me Big Brother, and God damn it that little girl could pout her way to ruling the world if she figured out just how cute she was.

And all that Attack Power was leveled at me.

I am not into children, I swear.

As her uncle -well big brother really, considering our relative age gap compared to that between her and her parents- my default response was to go hunt down whatever was making her pouty, but in situation such a course of action would bring about disastrous consequences. I could only try and explain logic to her and hope that she would either understand, or grow bored of this argument.

As if to hammer down how that wasn't going to happen, she jumped out of my lap and ran for the window, her little legs wobbling every so often since she had just worked up the nerve to stand after about an hour of grumbling. I wasn't facing her, but I could see what she was doing; and as she stood on her tip toes that her head just barely peeked over the windowsill, she cupped her hands around her mouth and shrieked into the night.

"LICA IS A TINY STUPID IDIOT AND HIS DAD IS TOO!"

I couldn't just go and kill the little twerp who somehow made this adorable little bundle of cuteness sad because Lica, happened to be Ruie's pet name for Millicas Gremory. Yeah, the son of Sirzechs Gremory and Grayfia Lucifuge; _That_ Millicas Gremory. It was very fortunate that I took her to my vacation home somewhere on an undisclosed island when I agreed to watch her for the week; if we were in Kuoh, Rias might have heard that.

Worse, she might have gone to check what it was.

So all I could do at that point was keep her company while she vented and hope that she would find something else to occupy her time with. After all, she was still a little girl and that meant that her attention span was a bit shorter than most.

Then again, she was still a girl and I knew women who could hold a grudge like their very lives depended on it. I guess it isn't such a good time to point out that my mother, Lasairiona Haagenti Phenex, was one of those women, and she was one of the reasons I was in this mess.

Kinda.

"Alright, that's enough for one night." I called out to her, getting to my feet before picking up the little girl and lifting her so that I could look her in the eye. "The issue was already settled, so you don't need to be mad at... Lica."

Am I the only one weirded out by the fact that Lica is a girl's name?

"But... but..." I carried her by the waist which gave her arms some freedom; freedom she used by flailing them wildly while she thought of a rebuttal. "He called Father a liar!"

"And you called Sirzechs-sama stupid." I gently reminded her and tried my very best not to chuckle as she puffed her cheeks in defiance. "Last I checked, the Maou in charge of Internal Affairs was not stupid. So both of you were wrong and that would make you even now."

"But Lica's not here, so it doesn't count!" Ah... She was hurt more by the fact that Millicas insulted our family's honor to her face than the actual insult. "And Maou-sama went and tried to cancel your engagement to Big Sister Rias when he was the one who agreed to it in the first place! That... that actually _wa_ s stupid!"

"Alright, I will agree that he did do something stupid, but you tried to convince Millicas by having a screaming match? You know an argument isn't won like that; we taught you better." I quirked my eyebrow at her, her lips falling into an expression on nonchalance even as she fought down an embarrassed blush. "And another thing, everyone does stupid things sometimes and that makes them normal, not stupid.."

"But he's Maou!" She argued, and at that point, I was confused. On one hand, she was calling that same Maou stupid, and now she firmly believes that it couldn't have been a mistake. Well, of course she could have been saying that people in position shouldn't be in position if they were stupid, thus implying he should step down, but that was treason so I elected to ignore it. "Father said that they go around, all sneaky, whispering 'Just as Planned' whenever something happens!"

Oh Ruval, you son of a- no wait, she was my mother too; I guess that meant Bastard was out as well, since we're brothers and all.

Damn... no, he was a Devil and we're all kind of damned.

Just... This is you're fault, Eldest Brother.

"Sirzechs-sama tried to have me killed by throwing a Holy Red Dragon Emperor at me, and that was stupid; I could have died, and your Grandmother would have declared war on the Gremory's." Blatantly untrue, just read DXD canon; Still don't know why or how, but they were surprisingly cool with it. But then again, I was making a point and Ruie didn't to know that. "That would have been really, really, _really_ bad for everybody.

"But..." I made sure to drawl out that syllable to get her attention, in a really silly voice I might add, and was pleasantly surprised when soft giggling tickled my ears. "I did something stupid by letting the fight happen when I knew he had Holy Power hidden away. When you think about it like that, then he wasn't really sent to kill me; I walked in there knowing I could have died. It really depends on how you look at it."

And that was the real root of the argument. If you looked at it one way, it was totally Sirzechs fault for allowing something to happen, but since I knew what I was walking into, I shared some of the blame as well. The only reason why we came out ahead was because -and I couldn't believe it either- we could sway public opinion against him _much better_ than he could against us. He had more power on paper, but we actually had the backing of Nobility via the Elders, and when it came right down to it, we would win the legal battle of Gremory vs Phenex.

Apparently, being bigoted assholes had advantages, especially when currying favor with other bigoted assholes.

" _Knowing I could have died,_ really Big Brother?" Now it was her turn to quirk her eyebrow, or at least try to. She might have wanted to look serious, but she had all the impact of a kitten sizing up a fairly large ball of yarn. She shrugged, shaking her head and slapping her cheeks as if to banish whatever thought was dancing in her head. "Father does call you stupid sometimes, Big Brother, but that's not important right now!"

 _Ouch._

"Idiot Lica is wrong, so I get to be mad until he says sorry!" She tried to look serious by crossing her arms and throwing a huff, but whatever effect it was supposed to have was nullified by the fact I was carrying her by the waist.

"But Ruie, just because you're right, doesn't mean you're correct." She actually blinked at me when she heard me say that, before her frustration returned in full.

 _"THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!"_

"Of course it doesn't, but then I find that saying stupid things are very good distractions." Thank you, Shirou Emiya. It turns out Fate wasn't just good for magic, it was also good for diffusing situations with stupid quotes. "You're mad at Millicas, but if you'll stop only after he apologizes then you're not actually mad; You're just stubborn. Or you know that I'll be willing to spoil you until you're smiling again. Now if you would stop being mad, maybe we can start having a bit of fun."

The smile she graced me with was both radiant and telling. "Fine..."

"That's my girl." After seeing that, I just had to hug her close to me, and my niece was more than willing to cuddle with me. "Now what shall we have for dinner?"

"Cake!" She _beamed_ at me with those wide twinkling eyes and that pure delighted smile.

I melted.

"Only after you eat your vegetables."

I had a good feeling about this.

* * *

Oh thank the stars, she finally fell asleep!

 _"Riser-sama?_ " I looked up at the source of the voice, but before Siris could whisper another word, I raise my finger to my lips: the universal sign of silence.

There was no hell like a woman scorned... but getting a seven year old child riding a sugar high to sleep was very close; I did not want a repeat of that.

In unrelated news, little girls really did like candy all that much; they needed to get their energy from _somewhere_ I guess.

With a nod she complied while I snuck out of the bed as quietly as I could, careful not to wake my sleeping niece. She was a handful, but after a nice dinner, an _actual marathon_ , and a good story, she was sleeping as peacefully as a child should; blissfully unaware of the dangers that would come for her. With one last look, I fixed the bolster I replaced myself with, came to wonder if all female devils were huggers, and exited the room to confront my knight.

In so little words, she wasn't supposed to be here; I explicitly told them to leave me alone for a while.

The door closed without a sound, but still I checked the myriad of enchantments etched into its fine wood. Ruie's safety was paramount after all, thus I had to make absolutely certain that the spells I weaved into the room would hold even against the likes of Serafall, if only for a few minutes. When I confirmed that all seven hundred wards were in place and thrumming with power, I looked to my knight with a mask of anger, and no small measure of disappointment.

Siris... looked like an idiot the first time I saw her, and now, before me stood a proud warrior. She wasn't the image of a knight, but then again with how she was, how she fought, how she fell, she would never be and the presence she excluded reflected that.

She wore a proper cuirass, appropriately more slopped higher to comfortably accommodate her assets and articulated to allow freedom of movement, while one could see the matching gorget peeking from underneath. Her fraulds doubled as cuisse and were like long scales, a skirt of small and narrow kite shields surround her waist while her greaves trailed the length of her long legs, ending in simple sabatons. Upon my sisters insistence, fine silk extended from underneath her armor, something like a half-skirt to introduce a more feminine quality and I personally made sure that it was short enough to be used in battle.

Her pauldrons bore a resemblance to the plates of her cuisse, but they were simply perched atop the more flexible rerebraces she wore. Her gauntlets were simple, almost minimal, to allow her the dexterity that allowed her to use her massive sword despite her stature. Though they were protected, her wrists retained full range of motion, which would in turn increase her options when it came to her bladework, and while the metal was thin, I ensured that the armor as a whole provided enough protection that even I had to fight seriously if I wanted to hurt her.

She, along with the rest of my peerage, looked altogether more presentable, and whenever I would see them, it would usually put a smile on my face. Unfortunately for her, today, this night, was not one of those times.

"Riser-sama, I was told that you would be entertaining Rias-sama tonight. Has there been a change of plans?" Now normally this would seem like a stupid question. It was obvious that Rias wasn't here and I just had dinner with my niece, ergo there has been a change of plans, but this seemed to be the polite way of asking what had happened without actually using those words. It still grated on me though, and her presence, or rather her act insubordination simply angered me more.

"Officially, she has more pressing matters to attend to, such as the Class Visits tomorrow, but the affairs of Kuoh aren't something you should concern yourself with." Though verbose, my tone was brusque and ominous enough that I thought I saw her shudder for a moment. "Why are you here, Siris, when I remember specifically _ordering_ _all of you to shadow my sister_?"

"Ruval-sama tasked us to make sure that Rhodalis-sama was asleep by eight while he attended the Elder Council with Philemon-sama." Her reply was stilted, and though it hinted at her fear, her expression remained unyielding. "He emphasized that this was a matter of great importance and even Philemon-sama agreed that at least one of us should come despite your orders."

I couldn't blame my father and my brother for that then; everyone knows that Ruie could have us eating from the palm of her hand if we weren't careful and he was right to worry, but Siris was a hindrance if what I foresaw came to pass.

She was strong, no doubt about that, but only strong enough to affect the battle and not nearly strong enough to change its outcome. She would be noticeable, but altogether useless in the incoming clash.

She was a distraction and one that needed to be removed as quickly as possible.

"Then you have no reason to remain here. You saw her, sound asleep, and have fulfilled your mission." I spoke, my voice sharp and my tone allowing no argument. With a snap of my fingers, the circle was carved into the marble floor. "Return to my sister before I lose my patience."

Looking to me once more, she took a hesitant step towards the circle. "Riser-sama-"

Then it shattered.

At that moment a strange power brushed against my senses, something dark, malevolent, and hungry. Like a black hole, it sought to devour the very magic in the air and I could tell that it did that just by existing. Still, it was not something so beyond me, and with a thought, my own aura filled the room. The darkness was kept at bay by the rising tide of heat and wind but at best they canceled each other out as tensions began to rise.

It looked like my servant would have to learn the hard way why I insisted to keep them all around Ravel.

"Now, now." A voice, definitely male but young, maybe just at the cusp of manhood, rang from across the hallway even further beyond the ruined magic circle. "I can't have you running away and calling for help, now can I?"

Siris quickly called her sword, a large blade that would not lose to a buster sword in length and yet was as thin as any katana, but I held out my arm before she could take a single step.

"Remain here, Siris." The power of the Phenex was already flowing from my form and heating up the area as I hissed the order. The fire began beating back the darkness as I growled. "Guard that threshold with your life."

 _This wouldn't end in tragedy._ Ruie was sealed in my room which was in turn hidden in another dimension; the door to my side lead to my study thanks to a few choice anti-teleportation magic developed during the war and Ophis' own expertise regarding the Dimensional Gap. My peerage made sure that Raval was safe, that even it they were missing Siris, they could easily match any Ultimate Class Devil in combat, or at least buy time against opponents equal to the current Maou.

But that wasn't the most powerful thing the Khaos Brigade could throw at them if worst came to worst.

I disabled their most powerful faction, all but crippled Rizevim when I took the Sephiroth Graal away from him, but if our intelligence was correct then the Old Lucifer was undeterred.

The entire reason the Elder Council, the heads and several other prominent members of each Pillar, was meeting was because the Heiress to the House of Glasya-Labolas was presumed dead and of course the Khaos Brigade was the main suspect.

 _They planned this._

Murder would have been the most easily dismissed; the Heiress would have been dead and therefore the problem would have been simplified. But if there was the slightest chance that a relative of a Maou was alive then we would have to tread a bit more carefully. Falbium, the current Asmodeus, would be in charge of the matter during the meeting, which stood to reason since he was the one who lost the most given the situation. His call was also what summoned _both_ my father and my eldest brother, since very little had more pull than the summons of a Maou.

While normally I would be content to leave Ruie in the care of her maids, yet another factor forced my hand: Diodora Astaroth should have murdered the Glasya-Labolas Heiress, this time anyone from the Khaos Brigade could have taken her.

 _We expected that this could happen._

It could have been a kidnapping, a faked death, or a recruitment operation gone wrong but I wasn't taking any chances if the Qliphoth or the Old Maou Faction was trying to capture the heirs of the Pillars. Rias and Sona were safe, since the Fallen's Governor General and Heaven's contingent were still in the area. The Agares' ancestral home could be compared to SEED's Messiah when it came to fortification and I'm sure that Sairaog was just a few steps below me when it came to pure power.

If we assume that they already commanded Astaroth at this time, and they failed to turn Glasya-Labolas, there was no one else in their generation that they could capture. Of course, if we consider raw potential, Millicas, Rhodalis, and Ravel were all valid targets, but since the first was probably in the Bael's main house -specifically with monster known as Sairaog- they would only try for the latter two. That was precisely the reason I ordered my peerage to watch over my little sister; to bolster the already formidable defenses found in the House of Phenex, but to also make myself, and by extension Ruie, seem less defended in comparison.

 _They made a mistake._

Since a few knew of my meteoric growth, they thought Ruie also possessed tremendous potential and since I alone guarded her, she also seemed like the easiest mark to capture.

If they were going to strike, then they would obviously go for my cute little niece.

I was strong, and everyone knew that, but until now, very few had an accurate idea just _how strong._

And it was time I showed them.

 _They would pay for their insolence._

"I could say the same for you." My magic flared and the very air around us _burned_ with the heat of a thousand fires. "Try not to squeal; my niece is sleeping."

* * *

Siris was afraid.

She had every right to be; Her Master looked down on her with anger burning in his eyes the moment he left the room of the young mistress.

This was not out of the ordinary. Even before his "experiment" ended, her Master tended to be irritable whenever they would disobey him and this shouldn't have been an exception. But the anger leveled against her was terrifying, as if she was staring at the heart of a roaring inferno. His words were hushed, but the heat in them was palpable and whatever was lacking in his words, the way his power seemed to coil around her made sure that his wrath was _felt._

It seemed harmless enough; her Master commanded her to stay with his sister, their commander even above Luna, but the Lord Phenex and his Heir were adamant. Leaving her post would also be a fairly quick affair, as all she needed to do was to check on the adorable child they were sometimes charged to watch over, but still his anger smoldered like molten rock and liquid flame.

She did not understand the reason behind his anger until he called forth the magic that would send her back to her comrades, and his magic was all too easily shattered; undone as if it was paper in the midst of a hurricane.

The Shadow came next; pure malice so absolute in its magnitude that she was forced to draw her weapon, even if there was a sinister voice at the back of her head whispering how it would change nothing. The Shadow came with words, words laced with the same power that crushed her Master's circle and her own spirit as her instincts demanded she chose to throw herself to her inevitable or flee that she could preserve herself for a while longer. She would have charged forward, if only to buy him a moment, had he not commanded her to guard his charge and the pressure she felt coming from him turned to comfort as he stood in between her and his foe.

To the Shadow's taunt, he replied with one of his own before the full might of his magic was unleashed.

She and the rest of the peerage have been training with him since his experiment ended, and for a while they all thought that he had been showing them the fullness of his strength. The blow he dealt the Priestess of Thunder was sloppy and unrefined compared to the spells they contended with. The beating he gave the Holy Dragon was but a loving caress when he could easily reduce crags to plains after they welcomed the dhampyr Valerie into their ranks. Now, even as she was protected from the fierce heat, she could feel the air in the hallway _burn_ as he leveled his gaze against the intruder who dared enter his home and threaten his family.

And something told her he _still_ held back.

"Hmm..." The Shadow seemed to sing, his voice quite musical even from the mouth of someone obvious male. "If you're this strong maybe the little one has a use after all. It would be a shame if we-"

That was as far as he could go before her Master _moved._

She was a knight, she was intimately familiar to what speed was. She could deflect bullets with casual ease after months of intensive training. She could circle the island in less time than in took people to claim such a feat. She could _watch_ as the first drop of rain fell from the heavens and catch it at the tip of her blade, mostly because she had to at one point. But this went beyond everything she had even seen, even from other knights her generation.

She could glimpse lightning as it moved -she and Karlamine had to before doing battle with the Priestess of Thunder- but this was _instantaneous movement._

It was almost like watching the Blossom of the First Unit.

One moment he stood a pace just before her and the next thing she knew, he had closed the distance and slammed his fist into the core of the Shadow. She didn't even blink, the entirety of her consciousness was dedicated to observing her Master and the Shadow but still, the former disappeared from her vision the exact same instant he reappeared, hand _already_ _outstretched_ as the blow connected.

She had to close her eyes as the room _shook,_ the shockwave of such a blow exploding through the hallway as she watched the exchange in nervous anticipation.

It was that easy, then she wouldn't have been so afraid.

Siris could see the Shadow more clearly now, and more specifically she could see how wisps of darkness formed crossed arms that caught the impossibly fast blow. She could see its form better now, a thin almost waifish figure tightly wrapped in a pitch black bodysuit. She could see no more than what looked to be a humanoid form, and even as the air around her Master began to ignite with the fury of his magic, the Shadow seemed to exclude plumes of darkness of equal intensity.

"It seems that-"

The next instant, a burning first blew away at the trailing darkness that occupied the Shadow's head occupied, the Shadow itself having ducked just before the second strike came. Fire followed her Master's leg when it came down in a low sweep, and darkness followed the Shadow's form as it took to the air and leapt backwards to avoid the scorching flames. The form of the Shadow dispersed when her Master suddenly _shifted,_ his stance instantly changing from mid-sweep to a side kick, annihilating his foe in an expression of force so great that she saw the solid stone walls _warp_ with the impacts.

Yes, plural.

Three times; In the space of an instant, he struck three times and the cage of winds all ripped the Shadow to pieces.

"Come now-"

To her, the voice came out of nowhere, but her Master's form disappeared once more, and when he reappeared he did so holding the Shadow by the neck and lifting it high. The eyes of her Master glowed with pure hellfire as he called forth a blade of even greater radiance with flourish. Wasting no time, he impaled the Shadow on the impossible flame and watched as it consumed the darkness until nothing but harsh light filled the room.

The Shadow did not speak a word when her Master appeared beside her with nothing but a step and swung the blade of light faster than she could blink. She held her breath and turned her head just in time to watch as another cloud of darkness was rent in twine before it burned in the light that was his flames.

There was no massive explosion this time, but it took a moment for her to figure out that there was just _no air left_ to carry the shockwave.

With a gesture, the equilibrium of the room was restored, and newly created air ceased to burn, but still her Master stood on guard.

"ENOUGH OF THI-" The Shadow tried to scream, obviously annoyed at how her Master was dispatching his specters but as several more materialized to overwhelm them, a blanket of while flame filled the corridor. She closed her eyes, but still she could see the brilliant sea burn away anything that could have been in the area. In her ears, the flames rumbled; its sound more akin to the crashing winter avalanche than the howling maelstroms. The corridor, maybe even the entire mansion, was turned into a kiln, and the flames that filled it were from the very heart of Hell and her Master spared nothing to ensure his foe was slain.

Yet, through all this, all she felt was a comfortable heat. She was in the heart of the inferno, she could see that behind closed eyes and she heard it as the blaze grumbled like a ravenous beast, but she was loved by the flame so much so that she knew, despite the prior anger her master showed her, that it wouldn't so much as singe her. Her Master wouldn't allow any of his flames to hurt them.

And in an instant, the inferno died and all she could see was darkness.

Siris was a Devil, and since time immemorial, they as devils saw better in the dark. Even after being exposed to such intense light, her eyes were quick to comprehend the form of her Master standing before her and beyond him, the Shadow on it's knees.

"I thought you would have tried to run by now." Her Master was calm, but his eyes were alight with the purest hellfire, blindingly radiant even as his expression twisted into a cruel smile. He delivered a deft kick, one that could shatter bone, but even as the Shadow took to the air, her Master reappeared above it and stomped it into the ground. The Shadow did not scream, not when its chest caved it and not when the ground beneath them cracked despite the numerous wards her Master set into the marble.

She thought she heard the figure whimper, but even that was silenced as her Master _pressed._

"Come now, speak: Is this not what you expected?" Lances of white flame began appearing around the pair, her Master's grin was the stuff of nightmares even as she... was that fear she was feeling from the creature? "Were you not prepared to die when you came for my niece? Did your masters really think that I wouldn't fight with everything that I had."

The flames fell, tearing at the air and leaving streaks of light as dozens of them tore through the darkness that was the Shadow. Those were blades of the hottest flame, that according to her Master would burn even the scales of a The Dragon Emperors, and with many piercing the Shadow, it was not long for this world.

The next instant, her Master's foot met the fine marble of the corridor and the Shadow melted once more into formless darkness, just like the ones before it.

But her Master wasn't done; if he was, he would have checked on the young mistress.

"Because, they would be right." Her Master threw his hand forward, and there the flames gathered once more. Across him, the darkness did the same thing, and the form of the Shadow reemerged, as whole as it was at the beginning of their clash. If her eyes didn't fool her, it looked to have materialized _against_ _it's will._ The Shadow emerged from the light of his flame and it trembled even as the blaze began to roar.

"You're not even worth half of my full power." Her Master's comment was sardonic, mocking. He was a Phenex, after all, and if there was an opponent that he enjoyed fighting most, it was one he could continuously torture. "So let's try something new."

A burning blade materialized in his hand; a blade, as if cut from a massive ruby, burned with dark crimson flame as he held the massive weapon with effortless ease. She could _feel_ the sheer power of the blade gushing from its form, that it held power so dark and terrible that she was not the least bit surprised when the Shadow tried to flee from its very presence.

Her Master didn't appreciate that.

As one, dozens of chains burst from the blaze, and from all directions the burning constructs rose to bind the Shadow. It's form was secured, wrapped in glowing shackles that writhed and tightened. She could see it clearly now, wrapped in light and fire, the kind that singed everything that dared approach and glimmered with ominous intensity.

"Now, there's something I've been wanting to know since you first reformed..." His voice was gentle, such liquid serenity that it could not have held anything but benevolence, but his smirk spoke volumes of the pain he would enjoy inflicting.

Despite knowing that she couldn't have been his target, she took a step back as well after all.

"Are you suicidal, or just stupid?"

* * *

Note to self: requiring sleep is very different from requiring rest.

"Mifune-sensei..." I knew I didn't look all there, but I must have been a mess considering the President's reaction to meeting me. There was quite the pause when Sona met me in the hallway, but the way she seemed to hurry her pace to help me with a few papers spoke of her sincerity. "Are you alright?"

I would admit that the pile of papers I carried was daunting but I wouldn't be a much of a gentleman if I allowed a lady younger than myself to share the load.

And no I wasn't, but I couldn't tell her that I spent the wee hours of the morning torturing what seemed to be and Avatar of Darkness. It seemed to share sensory functions with it's creator, but I apparently couldn't hurt it enough to make it do anything other than scream. Well, at least I could prevent the cancellation of the spell, but I couldn't trace the caster's position or do more than torture them. They could be dead from sensory overload but I don't hope for that too much; I'm never that lucky.

And of course, I'm not telling her any of that.

"Thank you, Shitori-san; I appreciate the sentiment but that's not necessary." I smile, and it must have been a tired expression considering how heavy everything seemed to feel. "The school tends to get... busy during class visits. I'm actually glad that Kagami-san wanted to take over my class so badly. He gave me ample time to finish the required paperwork for the day."

"Yes, it seems like Kagami-sensei is going overboard again." I couldn't help but agree, that twenty four year old was almost nothing but trouble, but he knew how to teach children and it definitely showed. If he was just a bit more professional, then maybe he would be allowed a more permanent class. Generating less paperwork might help in that department as well. Sona meanwhile, eyed the monstrous stack of papers with a harsh glare."Between his more eccentric methods and the messes he gets himself into, I wonder how he manages to get all of that done, even on a normal day."

"Oh, that's because I find myself doing it for him more often than not." The way her eyebrow twitched was so adorable that I didn't have to fake a smile. "Oh, don't give me that look. You said it yourself; the man is a genius, and if I have to sift through a few papers to get him to take his duties seriously then I don't mind. Keep it a secret, will you?"

She returned my pleading grin a strange glance, halfway between pity and admiration before sighing. It was strange to see her so... expressive when her default expressions were either harsh indifference of a satisfied stoicism; don't ask me how that works, she just _does it_.

"I'll leave it to your discretion then, though you shouldn't let cover for him all the time." She seemed a bit frustrated at my willingness to let him get away with it but she seemed to accept my decision. "If he things this type of behavior doesn't have consequences..."

"I'm sure he knows, Shitori-san, but that man has the interests of the children at heart." I remind her gently, eliciting a resigned sigh from her while I chuckled quietly. "There's no harm in letting him have some fun every once it a while."

"Perhaps." She left it at that, matching pace with me as we walked the halls.

It was a comfortable silence for the most part, but as we walked there was a sense of nervousness about her. It was subtle, but the Empress of the school was... off. She seemed unsure for a reason, slightly regretful, but she seemed distracted. Normally I wouldn't care, but if she sought me out for something like this and was now playing coy about it then it must have been something that unnerved her greatly. I would think that Rias would pull some passive aggressive ploy, but if something so severe happened to Sona that it reduced her to this, then I just _had_ to know.

"Sitri-san," I noticed her stumble when I used to real name, but she continued walking so I elected not to point her out. She seemed to have caught the message that I was speaking to her in my capacity as the envoy of the Maou, rather than a teacher she had hired. "What troubles you?"

"Something is amiss and I have no idea what." She all but grumbled, quite elegantly if I say so myself; really, she seemed more like a lady who could successfully hide her frustration rather than a child throwing a tantrum. I say that, though there was a bit of a whine in her voice when she spoke, and averting her gaze didn't do her any favors. "The Maou want the Alliance done as soon as possible and have informed me that the Meeting will be scheduled here, this weekend."

With a pulse of magic I checked our surroundings and was surprised to find the appropriate silencing and mind-altering spells already in place. No one involved will remember a word if they hear and all who would see us would thing that we were simply talking about faculty matters. I was impressed, but then again Sona always did seem more competent than Rias, if only just as childish at times.

"I find this development to be no surprise considering what has happened in the past." I reply to her, giving my own honest opinion. "This, to my understanding, is simply the best course of action."

True, she might not have known about what transpired the last few nights, or the ongoing efforts to better safeguard the Heirs and Heiresses, but the rise of Kokabiel and the movement of the Fallen were all issued that needed to be addressed. What was hidden from her would only serve to further the explain the urgency of the meeting, though the piece of information was not required to justify it.

"It would be, if they weren't so dead set on postponing it just a few nights ago." She argued, bringing to the table a piece of information I was not privy to. That certainly changed things. "What brought about the sudden change of heart?"

No, the question should have been, _why did they want to delay the meeting in the first place?_

There was simply no reason to; the upheavals happening in all factions were too great, too quick to ignore and given the presence of the Khaos Brigade, these circumstances came together to grant the perfect excuse to unite. And, to my knowledge, everyone seemed to understand that. All of them wanted peace, and all of the agreed that the best way to do it was to form the Alliance.

So why would they want to delay it?

"True, that does seem strange." My mind sifted through thousands of possibilities before I shook my head and banished them; I could easily think about that later. I flashed the sister of Leviathan an apologetic smile. "You were hoping for an explanation, I assume."

Sona looked up at me as we walked, searching intently with those amethyst orbs of hers for any trace of deception. For a moment, I entertained the possibility of her running into something, but that hope died when I remember how seriously she wanted to run a school. She memorized the floor plans of the Academy so thoroughly that I wouldn't have been surprised if she could traverse the empty building blind folded.

Finding none, she looked down with a sigh, before setting her eyes forward. "I suppose it was too much to think you would know about it."

"Or be allowed to tell you two about it." I amended jokingly, but she whipped her head back at me faster than I could blink. "It was only in jest, princess, think nothing of it. I was told to share any information pertinent to my stay here, you have nothing to worry about."

"But how can I believe that, Mifune-san, when you so boldly called into question the accuracy of your reports?" I stole a quick glance at her, and even as she took a few paces forward relative to me, I could feel the smirk she was trying to hide.

So she was finally playing like a Noble, huh? It's not really paranoia when something's actually out to get you, and it's not undue suspicion since I'm actually lying though my teeth.

"You can ask Leviathan-sama or His Majesty the Prince for the specifics of my stay here... but you'd rather not do that, would you?" She didn't give me a verbal response, but the way her shoulders sagged just a bit was telling. "Then you would simply have to take my word for it."

"I see, then we are at an impasse." She didn't seem too comfortable with prying and the silence suited me just fine.

"Apparently so..."

She seemed to have gotten whatever she wanted from that conversation and I walked away with a piece of a puzzle I was ignorant until a few seconds ago. I would say that was an excellent exchange. I hoped that this strange silence, this quick reprieve from the daily grind that was dealing with a potential Three Way War with several other minor parties getting in on the action, but of course fate was not so kind.

For you see, the way to the Student Council Office, or my current destination, required we pass the Main Auditorium and several corridors in that area.

Which meant that we were headed towards...

"It's strangely silent here, maybe Saji's finally taking his job seriously." Sona mused, and it was hard to hide the smile in her voice. It was harder still to hide the smirk that tugged on my lips considering what I knew was to come. "Saji, good-"

She all but choked on her words, her eyes widening as she took stock of what was at the corner of the corridor.

It was a perfectly normal scene, with a well dressed woman, Zeoticus, and Sirzechs at one side while Rias, Saji, Issei, Isaiah, Asia, and Akeno were in their own group. Saji seemed to be taking a break to chat with Issei, and the rest of the children were getting along swimmingly with everyone else.

Sona's eyes seemed to be fixed on a woman who seemed to hover closely beside Sirzechs, and laughed with Zeoticus, and I couldn't really emphasize just how... normal everything looked.

I mean, if I turned of my more magical senses, then it looked like two groups of friends just relaxing as lunch break -which was somewhat extended to give the students more time with their guardians- came and went. You wouldn't know that this small corridor held the most powerful members of Devil Society; two Maou, a current Head and his Heiress as well a part of their peerage.

They all seemed to be having some harmless fun, and this seemed to be so foreign to Sona that she took her glasses, rubbed them clean _,_ and just stared.

I couldn't really blame her; the first time I saw Serafall Leviathan even close to serious, she seemed ready to kill me.

"Onee-sama?" She didn't raise her voice, and her words left her mouth as a hesitant gasp but they seemed to be enough to catch everyone's attention.

"Ah, Sona." Serafall smiled gently, the picture of a benevolent noblewoman; elegance, serenity, and grace defined. "Come on, Love, introduce me to your friends."

I never quite seen anyone blush so brightly until that moment.

* * *

Of course, moments like that had to end.

"Nicely done." Sirzechs seemed genuinely impressed as we walked away from the group of children. "I didn't think it was possible, but you did it: Sera is actually acting normal for once."

I somewhat regretted walking away from that scene; Serafall was a real ladykiller when she wanted to be and she was making Sona _swoon_ when Sirzechs told his father and sister that he would accompany me to complete my errand. But I had my priorities straight; as amusing as seeing Sona squirm was, getting information would be a better use of my time. Too many things were at play now, the disappearance of an heir, the attack last night, the meeting's sudden change, and I needed to know who was pulling what string if I wanted to come out on top of this mess.

Now, how to broach the topic?

"I told her it would make Sona happy if she just dressed well, and you know how far she's willing to go just to see that smile." The shrug I gave was noncommittal, but careful since I carried a stack of papers. Actually, because of that I might have looked a bit comical, but there was a shift in the air that told me Sirzechs picked up on my meaning immediately. "She was reminded of how precious Sona was, I guess. At the end of the day, Family is all you have."

For a moment our eyes met and all he could do was shake his head. I gave him the look, one that said, ' _I know, and you should know that I know.'_ and laughed at the absurdity of the situation. We both knew that normally, no one would be this blunt with the Lucifer, but circumstances were strange and they afforded me a bit more leeway.

"You're not one for subtlety, are you?" His smile was wry, his tone was dry, and I could hear the regret in his chuckle as we seemed to slow our pace. I stole a glance just in time to see the strange mixture of feelings in his eyes; the sadness that his friend was in pain, the relief that Rias was still there for him to spoil, and a strange sense of tension, like he was trying to gauge my reaction to all this.

"That would imply that being subtle will benefit me." We stopped. "We both know that's not true, especially after what happened last night."

I looked at him to see Sirzechs Gremory stripped of all his power and I saw just another brother who would do _anything_ for his little sister. I wouldn't have been surprised if he saw the same thing when he looked back at me.

"Will you wait?" His tone was patient, and for once it was an actual question rather than a suggestion. "You deserve to know more than why the attack was allowed to happen, but are you willing to wait?"

I called it.

"When?" There was more venom in my voice than I would have liked, and even Sirzechs couldn't hide the wince at my tone. I couldn't be blamed: he was already treading a fine line with my mother, and still he goes and pulls this on us. I was allowed to be angry and we both knew it.

I suspected that this was all planned, but it did sting a bit when it was confirmed that the Maou were in on it.

"After the Summit." Even before I could argue, he raised a hand placatingly. "I give you my word that you will understand everything after the meeting so please be patient until then."

"And you expect me to keep quiet about this because..." I raised my eyebrow in challenge.

"Because as Lucifer, I have yet to lead our kind astray, and I say it would be for the best if this incident was kept under wraps for now." There was authority in his voice and a sharpness in his eyes as he referred to himself with his formal title. If he was ever vulnerable before me, there was no sign of that now. He wore the fullness of his majesty, the power that came with being ten times stronger than the Lucifer of old and it was more than slightly intimidating. "You have grown strong enough to repel them for now, but there are powers at work that even I dare not face alone."

I kept back my urge to smirk at his warning. I was safe, well for the most part, with the conditional support of Ophis but no one, let alone Sirzechs Fucking Lucifer, needed to know that. Very few would care to anger the third strongest being in this reality, but at this point being aligned with her was synonymous with treason. Any confidence would be met with suspicion considering the heights I climbed, instead of dismissal; again, one of the more unwanted consequences of growing in strength.

It would be no trouble to escape them should they discover the connection and call for my head, but if I did leave, I couldn't ensure the safety of my peerage, or my own family depending on how reasonable Sirzechs if feeling. I wasn't ready to confront that possibility just yet, especially after I've grown somewhat attached to my peerage... and my parents... and technically my sisters...

I honestly don't know what to feel about my brothers though.

"You're implying the presence of traitors in our ranks." I reply flatly, waiting for any reaction, any minor twitch in his expression, but the Greatest of the Devils remained stonefaced. He gave away nothing, but at the same time, no deny was loosed from his lips. "Traitors reporting to our more powerful enemies."

"I admit that we are inferior the Fallen or Heaven when it comes to solidarity, and it's never wrong to prepare for the worst." His eyes narrowed, in turn searching me even as I searched him for answers. I found no fear, no weakness in him and I was sure that there was no surprise or defensiveness in my own expression. "Loyalty can only go so far, and since even the Heirs are at risk, it would not do for a servant to posses such vital information. If the strongest of your generation fall, how long will our weaker soldiers last? Still, are you sure that is all we fear?"

Damn he was good.

He was right on both counts. The Fallen were as much of a family as Heaven was, and in Heaven, if one was somehow against the Will of the Seraphim then it would reflect in the color of their wings. And by highlighting the attack on both Houses Phenex and Glasya-Labolas, he was emphasizing the increased risk of those possessing important information being attacked than turning traitor. It was true; even I would rather torture information out of another than slowly worm my way into their hearts and have then give me the information willingly. It was just so much quicker, simpler, and altogether more fun...

That might have been the Devil talking in me, but it was a decent deflection.

The first statement acknowledged the possibility of having traitors, we did have a civil war, but the second quickly reasoned against it as it was just simpler to attack.

He even left it open ended to imply more dangers.

But this short exchange had one governing assumption; the purpose of the attack was to gather information or was a ruse to disguise the extraction of traitors.

"Of course, our enemies may just trying to incite panic." I spoke to myself more than to him, but he seemed to approve of my line of thought.

It would be more logical just to keep the general populace in the dark until we were sure that we could defend ourselves from outside attack, especially at such a critical point in the ceasefire. It was expected that they would strike at us at this point, but to show weakness in front of the other two factions could easily cause them to turn on us rather than convince them to work with us. Of course they knew how divide and conquer works, but Heaven could last defending itself if it lets the rest of the worlds rot and the Fallen fell because of Pride.

Hiding the attack didn't improve our chances, but at the very least they didn't worsen them.

"If you are as intelligent as you are expressive, then I'm sure you've pieced together our intentions." He allowed himself a small smile as my eyes narrowed at his statement.

It was either he was calling me stupid or an open book, but neither really mattered since he could also be baiting me into actually reacting. At the very least, the simple move of narrowing of the eyes meant quite a number of things, though the first thing that would come to mind is increased focus.

"Fine, I'll relent for now, but answer me this: Why did _you_ allow it?" And that was the heart of the matter, of our conflict; this was what set it apart from a simple attack of the Heirs.

The fact that they allowed it to attack meant that they were willing to use the _children_ as bait, despite the fact that the birthrate of the Devils wasn't even close to that of pandas, much less humans. Worst interpretation is that _he_ were attacking the houses involved, and since this could be seen as a second attack on the House of Phenex then there would be blood.

To be honest, it was a possibility that I so feared that I didn't even want to voice it. We have established that it was planned by the Maou, and that though it was a successful defense it still risk the life of the Princess of the Phenex. If this was an actually attack against us, even if he was just testing the waters, the it would throw most of what I knew about Sirzechs Lucifer out the window.

Pardon me for being curious as to what he would tell my mother if she caught wind of this.

"Oh that's simple." The smile he had was blinding, yet for all it's beauty, the fact that I saw the same expression on Leviathan made sure I abhorred it. It was a mocking smile, one formed from condescending superiority disguised as mercy, as if he was an adult lecturing a child.

"We had absolute faith in your ability to win."

If that wasn't the most obvious lie I've heard from him, I'd start courting _Sera._

 _"Anyway,_ I should be returning to my father and Rias soon as classes are about to resume." I took a glance at the wall clock and saw that we had roughly fifteen minutes left, and that the door beside it lead to my destination. He gave me a final clap on the back before walking away with a wave. "Bring your new bishop tomorrow for the unsealing and I expect to see you at the Summit to give your opinion on the Ascension. "

And with that, he was gone, giddy I'm sure to rejoin his sister.

I sighed; now was not the time to be worrying about plots since I still had to arrange the stack I held before the first period ended. Shaking my head to banish those arguably more important concerns, I was just about done balancing the stack on one hand and reaching out to open the door when I found the Prince of Lies peeking his head around the corner.

I swear, if this was some plot to get me to lower my guard around him then it was working much better than I liked. I couldn't take such behavior seriously; one moment he's trying to intimidate me and mildly succeeding and the next he's acting as much as a child his... well his child was. You would have to pardon me, the dissonance was jarring.

"Oh and one more thing; tell your niece that Millicas sends his deepest apologies."

Case in point.

* * *

 **AN: I had a couple more scenes planned, but it just kept going on an on in directions I never intended so I'm cutting them short now and bringing it to a stop here.**

 **I introduced more plot points here, and picked up some stuff from a few chapters ago, but like last time, it's just to warm up. Next chapter will cover the meeting itself, the battles that come after that and the aftermath of the whole thing so there's that.**

 **This chapter did not want to be written, so I had to force it out here and there and it shows; but then again you can't get better without stumbling a few times. Some stuff will look totally useless here, but please be a bit more patient, well if you do want to see what happens next.**

 **Again, I'm just checking out how characters relate to each other, and introducing the niece (MEET RUIE EVERYONE!) was as good a move as any. Someone commented that the peerage was absent, well, here's the reason for that, and that reasoning will be further expanded on in a few chapters.**

 **The growing list of plot points are here, just in case people are having trouble; well the more obvious ones.**

 **Equations and Dragons**

 **Teacher Riser**

 **Silver Bar and Super Fire**

 **Association with Infinity and Fate/ stuff**

 **Isaiah and the Scriptures**

 **Mysterious Texts**

 **No real reviews to reply to, or at least those that actually need them.**

 **Thanks to the random guest that showed me some grammar errors, and I still need a Beta, so that's that. Please don't be too hard about grammar and spelling typo's but pointing them out is always appreciated.**

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	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 ...Don't second guess the note you're on...

* * *

My sister looked tired.

Her perfect hair was in disarray, those once pristine golden curls replaced by a tangled mess smeared with dirt and still damp with sweat. That in itself told the story that the last few weeks had changed her. The sister I knew would never come before family looking anything less than the perfect lady she was raised to be. Her clothes were torn, not to such an extent that she was indecent but the too smooth cuts and jagged tears were scattered across the bodysuit she was given to train with. Her expression was hard, like the face of a soldier pushed to the very edge of exhaustion just before being called before a superior officer. Even if she was allowed the comforts of my study, her body was as taut as a drawn bow, ready to confront any threat should it suddenly appear.

Still, there was a certain strength about her, a confidence that only came from overcoming adversity and the will to see things through to the very end. She seemed more experienced now, as if she had taken on the world and come out on top rather than just watching it from her lofty place on high. Gone was the girl who could be swayed into a harem just because someone beat me in a fight, and I couldn't be prouder of our little Princess.

"So," I drawled the word out as I continued accomplishing the mess of paperwork that covered my desk. I tried to be as nonchalant as I could, fighting down the urge to just stand, dash over to her, and hug her. "How'd it go?"

"It went just as well as you would expect." She replied, just as evenly, before finishing what I thought was her fourth glass of cold tea and returning to her seat. "I managed to complete the first and second challenges though..."

"I'd say you did well enough." She won a convincing victory by completing the first one, and the second one was even harder, but she was obviously put off by the fact that she lost the third. It was all there, the long sigh, the slow smile, and the far-away look in her eyes. She might as well been wearing my 'I am Depressed' shirt. I was her older brother, and it was my duty to cheer her up, especially since I put her up to this in the first place. "You had a few weeks of training. It's a surprise that you completed the first two in the first place."

Some background: Ever since the wedding fiasco, I decided that my peerage, as good as they were, simply weren't growing fast enough to match the enemies that were bound to come, like Kokabiel and Belial. So I put them to work training each other, as well as my sister after I acquired Valerie. Since at that point, Ravel was the weakest among them, they were put to work making sure that she grew through the hardships I put them through when we were training for the fight against Rias. Once Luna thought Ravel was ready, she would put my sister through a series of three challenges.

The first was the easiest, but it could also be seen as the most grueling as a test of endurance rather that pure strength. Ravel was made to fight against my peerage in single combat in the worst possible order. She would have to fight each of them one on one, without breaks, and from the weakest, who was still dearest Mira, until she managed to reach the strongest, Xuelan who was even stronger that Ravel when they served together. Luna would be serving as the referee, standing by just in case any of the combatants were in genuine danger. To lose even a single battle would mean defeat, and the fact that she managed to even beat it meant that she was at least strong enough to serve as a Queen in any first class peerage with the endurance to match.

The second was more of a test of tactics and metal agility as she was made to defend against the entire peerage bar Luna for a certain time period. It was more annoying since she was tasked defend rather than attack, and this time the enemy could come from a multitude of angles and use different types of attacks. Worst case scenario, they would attack her simultaneously. To a Phenex, defense primarily involved tanking though and letting our natural regeneration do the rest of the work, but this time she needed the skill to dodge and block the physical fighters as well as create her own style of magic to successfully repel the mages in the peerage. As one who took on Mihae while she was trying to control her newfound power as well as Valerie when she was finally allowed to let loose, I could say that even if the Xuelan and Isabela were well beyond ordinary Queen level, my little witches were very close to Luna in strength.

And of course, my cute little sister passed that as well.

The third challenge was the most difficult but simplest of all; Ravel just had to fight Luna. The points in my sister's favor were the following: She could chose any time and place, which meant she was fully rested as well as had the terrain advantage. She had the choice of two of my peerage members, which meant she had more freedom to act as well as more effective battle power. She also had the truly bullshit Phenex Tears at her disposal, just one but that was enough to fully restore her health; she already proved she had endurance so the fact that it didn't restore stamina was not as much of a factor.

The only thing Luna had on her was that she was allowed to release all her limiters, also known as the training aid magic circles I had placed on everyone since our very first training session. Of course no one from my peerage deactivated those unless they were resting or fighting seriously, like the battle against Rias, so that must have helped them grow stronger. After that battle, I also taught them how to increase or decrease the strain each circle applied to them, just so they would learn their limits and surpass them on their own time and at their own pace.

It wasn't good to keep pushing them to the limit, you know? Even diamonds can shatter under enough pressure after all, and self motivation always works best when it comes to getting into shape. Also, the first two challenges had Ravel free from those limitations while the rest of my peerage kept them on, which probably helped my sister's chances.

Long story short, Luna destroyed my little sister, and Ravel, after all she went through to get stronger, wasn't very happy about it.

"I was supposed to be in charge of them, brother." She grumbled, her expression a bit harsher than normal, mature yet so childish as she ground her teeth. "It's unacceptable that I'm weaker than any of them if I am to be the one they answer to when you're away doing who knows what."

"How rude." I quipped, trying to ease some of the tension as I took a sip of my own cup of tea. Huh, Marion had outdone herself this time, maybe I should reward her later. "Wasn't that the arrangement when you were still counted among them?"

"That was the arrangement before you finally agreed to train me. I am a Lady of the Phenex Household and I refuse to have anyone stronger than me under my command." There was a fire in her eyes, a sort of determination you found in the most shounen of shounen anime or the majority of genki girls but there was something a bit darker. "They can't look up to someone weaker than them!"

"But their task is to get between you and anything trying to hurt you while I'm out doing who knows what." I calmly pointed out. "They train you so you don't need to worry too much, but they're there to be a shield to protect you, not so you could lead them into battle. That's what _your_ peerage would be for."

"I want to get some practice in before then." She immediately replied, as if she was just now realizing that she thought of my peerage as hers. Well, it wasn't exactly false since idiot Riser was the one in charge before I came along but since I've taken steps to train them, she must have finally begun seeing them as mine instead of hers. "It's not too bad is it? Wanting to get stronger after seeing them grow so much since they've started really training? It makes me wonder why no one's doing it aside from the Rookies Four and the Top Ten Ranked."

"That's because nobles are too strong to begin with and they think that they don't need to be stronger. Ambition will always struggle against stagnation and if one wins then the other must lose." It boggled the mind how the Devils as a race weren't stronger considering the sheer potential they had. Wishcraft was a very, very, _very_ strong method of using magic and if they were just a bit more imaginative they would be able to use it in world shattering ways. I had half the mind to ask Ajuka if his Formula Mumbo Jumbo makes him an Accelerator. "And on the other note, just admit it, sister dearest: You feel bad for being jealous-"

"I am not jealous of Valerie!" The lady doth protest too much, me thinks. She was on her feet, her face bright red, and her expression one of absolute outrage that it couldn't be anything but true. "She is a valued member of your peerage and therefore our family and will be treated as such."

"You're beginning to sound a bit like my fiancée, little sister."

"She helped me out the most when we were training, okay?" She seemed to shrink into herself as she began mumbling. "They all put their hearts into it, even when it was sometimes annoying."

"Of course they would, they all care about you after all." I was slightly insulted when I gave the order, my whole peerage seemed to jump at the idea of protecting my little sister rather than accompanying me but I guess that was to be expected considering how hard I was working them. I didn't understand how much they loved my sister until I got Valerie to join and the difference between those who were once under Ravel and the new addition was glaringly apparent. "You led them for the longest time, I'd be surprised if they didn't give you their all."

I never understood what happened when they made Ravel a Bishop. Sure I could buy the excuse that she needed to be stronger but her potential as a King was just so much higher that it seemed to be a waste to deny her that opportunity. Of course, I wasn't supposed to know about the King piece so I couldn't really complain about it but the way I see it, she had everything that a leader needed except for the raw power required to lead from the front. She was a masterful strategist, canon saw to that, and if she was inspired enough to want to seriously increase her own power then she would have been perfect.

"I don't want to let them down." She was on the road to greatness, and with a clear goal in her mind, it was unlikely that she would fall to the wayside. Well, unless Belial had something to say about it, but I had a plan to handle that traitorous ass. "I don't want to stand on the sidelines and call the shots from the back either. Mother led from the front, Father led from the front, all of my brothers lead from the front. _I will lead from the front_ , it doesn't matter if it's your peerage or mine."

I sighed. It wasn't a tired one, or an exasperated one, but one of proud acceptance. This girl was going places, mark my words.

"Get some rest, Ravel." I shook my head, it was more of a show than anything else, to hide the grin forming on my lips. "You're going to be busy helping me out when the Summit comes so be prepared.

The next thing I knew I was tackled out of my seat by an overexcited little sister.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here?" Guess who said that?

"And Hello to you too, Dickless. How was your day? If you're this excited then I'm sure you won't have any trouble turning in your homework by the end of the week, right?" Surprisingly, both the Knight and the Dragon stiffened when I reminded them of the homework they still haven't turned in. Akeno looked somewhat confused at the situation, one moment stone-faced and the next sending subtle, incredulous looks at Isaiah. Rias was the only one to look somewhat disappointed when her peerage's academic performance was brought up. "Seriously, Love, you need to learn how to run a tighter ship."

"What are you doing here Riser?" Rias crossed her arms, emphasizing that bust of hers as she gave me her best Tsundere impression and looked down her nose at me. She missed the hair flip as well as the quintessential 'Baka' but it was pretty good if I do say so myself; very adorable. "Last time I checked, this was a restricted area of the Old School Building."

I looked up at her and quirked an eyebrow. "Really, that's it? You're going to ask me why I'm here, not why I'm sitting on the floor in front of your Bishop's bedroom?"

"The inner machinations of your mind are an an enigma I wouldn't waste my time trying to unravel." There's the hair flip I was looking for, and I couldn't help but chuckle a little when she tuned away and her hair simply flowed with the motion. "Besides, you finally found your place, who am I to tell you otherwise?"

"Someone who quotes Patrick Star, apparently." I made a bit of a show standing up, dusting my bottom off even if I knew that Akeno or Rias wouldn't let any dust in the building if they could help it. "Though I'm surprised that your brother didn't tell you I would be here."

"Nii-sama said nothing of the sort... though I wouldn't put it past him to _forget,_ especially after past events." She massaged her temples with a frown, the makings of a headache coming and all I could offer was a small smile. She must have had it a bit tough having to deal with a crazy Sirzechs and a surprisingly serious Serafall. I guess Sona was either confused or gushing and I'd hate to be the best friend the poor girl vents to. "You've been waiting for how long?"

"Since noon, actually." I enjoyed seeing her flinch a bit.

Even if their classes extended all the way to the afternoon, Rias should have had the opportunity to meet me over lunch. She must have had prior engagements since she didn't even visit the Old School Building during their break. Sirzechs was kind of a troll and as much as he loved to mess with his sister from time to time, I could feel that he was also out to get me, and making me wait five hours was just a step in the plan. It didn't really matter that he didn't tell her, that mistake allowed me a bit more freedom when it came to Valerie.

"It's fine though, I used the time to study this wonderful barrier you have placed here." I gestured to the door, specifically the yellow cordon that dripped with magical power. "Did you know all this does is keep your Bishop in rather that keeping other people out? It wasn't exactly that hard to destroy and replace it as I first thought. I'm quite disappointed in you, Rias."

"Buchou, didn't you seal away your Bishop because it was too strong?" Issei seemed torn between glaring hatefully at me and staring cautiously at the door. "Doesn't that mean some super powerful monster is hiding behind that door and idiot Yakitori-"

"Call me Yakitori again and I'll tear your Dragon _out_ of you before tearing your dragon _off_ of you." My voice was pleasant, gentle even, but he recoiled as if struck once I applied a bit of my power on him. The rest of the peerage tensed a little bit, Isaiah drawing a sword, Shirone reading her stance, and Akeno preparing her magic, but I paid them no mind. "If I could break something that kept your precious monster in then I could obviously break your monster. It's called power-scaling and you watch enough anime to know how it works."

"I'm pretty sure power-scaling doesn't work like that, and Buchou said something about the Bishop not wanting to run so it could still whip your ass Ya-" Power once again flowed out and Issei, only Issei, was instantly sprawled face down on the floor.

"Riser," Rias's voice was intimidating... if I was a three year old or had the mental capacity of one. Though there was an undertone of resignation there, as if she accepted that this would be our dynamic for a while. Heh, she was lucky I didn't just kill him. "Let my Pawn stand."

"I warned him, _again,_ and he didn't listen, _again._ " A gesture was all it took for an invisible force to grab Issei by the neck and pull him up to his feet. I spoke over him coughing his lungs out since even if I waited I knew he _still_ wouldn't listen. "I'm to you as Sirzechs-sama is to Rias, kid, so please just be civil. I don't want to have to kill you, but I can't stand being called a liar either."

"You said something about undoing the barrier?" Rias was glaring at me. I didn't know if it was because I opened it in the first place or because I might have gone in and tried to turn her other Bishop against her. It was probably because- "If you dared to lay a hand on my cute little Bishop then by my name as Gremory I will-"

"See for yourself." I gave her a brilliant smile before making my way to the sealed door and clutching the handle. "I must warn you though, what you're about to see cannot be unseen."

"Just open the door, Riser." Rias was worried, Akeno seemed somewhat off balance, Shirone was glaring at me like I took her last fish, and Isaiah was actually the most level headed of them. Of course Asia took Issei aside to help him recover.

"As you wish."

The seal had dissolved once my hand touched the door and they braced themselves when I forced the lever down but nothing could prepare them for what lay beyond the door. As I thought that, the mechanism had been opened from the inside and a massive force pushed the door aside, not caring that I still had my hand on the handle. Even if I didn't think the child would be this excited, I was ready for such an eventuality and quickly stepped aside as the door slammed against the wall and shrieked against its hinges.

"BUCHOU! BUCHOU, COME QUICKLY! VAL-NEE'S HERE!" Gasper's voice was clear, like the ringing of the school bell in the early morning. There was no stutter, no fear, no hesitation, and instead he was thrilled instead of terrified. I could here the laughter in his voice, his scream one of joy rather than fear as Valerie tickled him pink just by _being there._ He could even use some of his shadow magic comfortably, to simply open a door.

How Rias and friends reacted was just the icing on the cake. There was a strange satisfaction seeing all of them just gape like fish for a moment when they heard Gasper call them over. Well, Asia and Issei were just slight confused, but Akeno, Isaiah, Shirone, and Rias were just so shocked when they heard the cowardly vampire so giddy about _anything_. The four were probably used to him whining over being forced to go outside, or eating garlic, or stopping their time whenever he got too scared, so seeing the dramatic shift shook them as much as seeing Kokabiel return must have shaken Heaven.

"Love, are you just going to stand there and let the flies in or are you going to greet your Bishop?" I managed to approach Rias and tap her shoulder, just goes to show how shocked she was, and almost instantly she regained her senses. "He wants to show you why he's so happy, don't keep him waiting for too long."

"Gya-kun's... excited?" Shirone asked me, either completely forgetting our feud or she was asking Rias, as if fish had ceased to exist.

"It seems like we'll just have to see for ourselves." Rias steeled herself, schooling her expression and wiping every trace of shock from her face. "Come alone now, we shouldn't keep Gasper waiting for too long."

They all entered before me but once inside they seemed to stop short of the middle of the room. Now I was taller than all of them, I was taller than Sirzechs, so I could see just what had them frozen. In the middle of the room, where his coffin was supposed to be, there was a large love seat. On that love seat was Gasper nuzzled against Valerie, the pair of vampires happy as clams that they didn't even notice that we were all in the room and observing their antics. Well, maybe Valerie noticed, she was much sharper when she was lucid, and she simply didn't care.

She did agree to this whole thing just to see Gasper happy after all.

"So this is the family you wanted to show me?" Valerie, with a tone my own older sister once used whenever she spoke to me way back when, brought Gasper back to the present. "Don't keep them in the dark now that they're here; introduce me."

"Right," The cowardly vampire took a deep breath before standing up, Valerie following behind him as he approached Rias much like a child would walk towards his teacher during parents day. "Buchou, Koneko-chan, Kiba-senpai, Akeno-senpai, this is my older sister, my Onee-sama when I was living with my family before I died, and the person who allowed me to escape my father, Valerie-nee." He smiled and for a moment I could see why Issei was lamenting. A boy simply had no right to be that _cute._

I don't care that he was the closest thing this world had to a Cullen.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Valerie moved with the perfect poise of a princess, executing an elegant curtsy in the white sundress Xuelan and Mihae picked out for her. "My full name is Valerie Tepes, current Bishop of Riser Phenex. Thank you for taking care of this troublesome little brother of mine and please continue being friends with him."

"Val-nee! Stop being mean!" The vampire immediately forgot about himself and started whining at his older sister. "You're being like Koneko-chan!"

Shirone twitched.

"I still love you, my little pup, but you have to admit that you're much too old to be cooped up in a little room doing nothing all day." Immediately, Valerie returned to work, taking on the mantle of the older sister and lecturing Gasper. She turned towards us and bowed low to everyone in the room, her voice quite serious even if her words were less so. "I'm very sorry about Gasper, he's always been like this. I used to have to drag him out so that he could get some sun on his skin even if he knew very well that it was good for him. I don't want to even mention how hard it was to get him to exercise."

"Onee-chaaaaan, stop embarrassing meeeee!" Gasper was much shorter than Valerie, so it was only when she bowed that he was able to take her by the shoulders and give her a good shake.

Or at the very least, the little boy tried.

"Is it just me, or is this weird to watch something like this from the other side?" I wasn't talking to anyone in particular, but I was kind of surprised to find Rias _and Shirone_ nodding numbly as we watched poor Gasper struggle against the undeniable might of an older sister. Our relationships weren't the best but it was good to know that even enemies could agree that sometimes elder siblings could be a handful to deal with. Case in point, Kuroka, Sirzechs, and Revive. "I mean, should we get them out of their little world or should we..."

Valerie was holding an angry Gasper back with a single hand, giggling all the while as the poor little boy struggled with everything he had to close the distance between him and his older sister. Asia and Issei, the only one who didn't know him, were watching with smiles on their faces, well until Isaiah whispered something so world shattering that Issei was once again on his hands and knees.

Three guesses as to what he said, the first two don't count.

Akeno and Isaiah seemed truly happy for him, the pair being able to relate to the desperate need the boy felt and the fear of their own strength from time to time. Shirone was simply dumbstruck.

"Leave them be. Gasper once told me that he lost someone he loved above all else when he entered my Peerage." Rias answered with a sigh after she gauged the reaction of her peerage. I couldn't pinpoint if that was one of relief, longing, or exasperation but at the very least she wasn't angry at me. "It's just that I've never seen him this happy before and I never thought I'd see that child smiling as he his now."

"Gya-kun's having fun." Shirone agreed, nodding like a cat would though her eyes never left the pair. The longing in those glistening golden orbs was almost painful and if anyone saw her wipe them no one commented on it. "Maybe Gya-kun will finally stop being too picky with his food."

"I don't know about his eating habits but if anyone can convince him to do anything, it's her." I turned my eyes to Rias, having taken Shirone under her arm and was holding her closely even as Gasper continued to bicker harmlessly with Valerie. "With your permission, I'd like to leave her here for a few days to be able to stay with Gasper." Seeing Rias shoot me a look I cut her off before she could say anything."Oh don't give me that, you know that they'll be inseparable for the next few days. At the very least this way, you can keep watch over them so that Valerie doesn't do whatever you're afraid of her doing."

"And why shouldn't I be suspicions, Riser? It's not like you've _haven't_ personally attacked my peerage twice, correct?" Her tone was dripping with sarcasm as she unconsciously drew Shirone in protectively. It didn't matter to her that I was right, she still didn't appreciate what I was doing for them. Couldn't she see that if they went the way they were going, it would potentially kill them at a critical moment? "I have every reason to suspect what you're doing after what you've done, and I will not let you hurt another one of these children."

Two steps and we were cheek to cheek, my mouth hovering next to her ear.

"Not here, not now." I whispered, and her eyes flit towards the joyful scene deeper into the room. "I don't care what you think of me, don't ruin this for him."

We stared each other down for a moment, for the very first time in a while my own gaze hardened against her, as if I actually cared. Well, I did, but not about Gasper. Valerie loved him with her very soul and if Rias would try to separate them for any reason then all the measures I've been taking to repair her emotionally would be for naught.

"Koneko, can you two handle introducing Gasper to Asia and Issei?" Rias called the Kight and Queen over and spoke to her Rook though her glare never departed from me."Akeno, tell Sona that I might be late for the meeting. It looks like my brother brought something needless again and I have to take care of it. Yuuto, you go ahead and meet your teacher for now, Okita-san said he would like to test your newfound power while my brother observes."

Once the three accepted their tasks, she gave her strongest piece and my Bishop a courteous wave before leading me out of the room and closing the door behind her. I had allowed the silencing spells to take effect, just to make sure that we didn't ruin the beautiful sibling reunion.

"Whatever you're planning Riser, leave my peerage out of it." Rias crossed her arms, made herself look as menacing as possible even as she glared up at me from our place outside the secret room. "You beat them to the ground, you tore open old wounds, and you still take every opportunity to remind them of it. When will it end, Riser? What have they done to deserve such treatment?"

"They presume much if they think they can live for themselves, Rias." I had planned for this confrontation, and even if this was the third of fourth if I remembered correctly, this was the first time we were truly alone. "They're broken, and broken tools-"

"Those broken tools are members of my family!" She raged, closing the distance and not caring that I towered over her. Two fingers struck my chest in warning. "They are _mine_ Riser, in the same way your peerage are yours to do as you see fit. You don't see me complaining about how you run your peerage."

"And that's because I command a group of competent and experienced women who would rather die than turn on each other, Valerie included. Last time I seriously tried to test your rag tag group of children, your Knight was seriously considering killing your Bishop because I presented a plausible argument." My eyes were shining mischievously as I bared my teeth more than I smiled. "If your Knight, your second eldest, would consider the words of an enemy, how much more vulnerable are your other pieces?"

She didn't speak for the longest while, and I took that as a signal to continue.

"Your Knight _did_ entertain the words of a possible enemy, and if Heaven truly wanted conflict, Kokabiel could have struck you down with a snap of his fingers." I raised my hand patiently when she seemed like she wanted to interject. "No, Love, I am not stupid. I know that even if they were acting as one, they couldn't have done anything had your brother and Leviathan failed to come but he did fail you at the critical moment. He was distracted, and that could have easily proven to be your undoing. Even if the enemy had been weaker, your Knight, your fastest piece, could not have defended you should an enemy decide to exploit such a glaring opening."

"The King is not so helpless without a single piece." Rias quickly replied, slightly annoyed that I had interrupted her own attempted interruption, but for a fraction of an instant, it looked like I was making headway. "Yuuto might be fast, but I'm not so defenseless that I would fall in his, and only his, moment of weakness."

"And if somehow the world conspires against you? Say if someone within the High Houses, someone with access to easily seized information, decided to strike at you? What then? Let's say there is a traitor in our midst that decides to kill you and your peerage is your only form of defense. All an attacker would need to distract your peerage is to mention Kuroka, Baraqiel or the Fallen in general, the Holy Sword Experiment, and Vampire Hunters, to give them the moment to strike." My eyes softened just a tad. "They are famous Rias: the Survivor of the Church's Sacrilege, a Half Fallen Angel, the Younger Sister of an SSS Criminal, and a Dhampir that devoured his own mother at birth. Mention any of their issues and that would be enough to distract them or anger them, and kill you in the chaos."

"They're my children, Riser, my dear broken children. If I didn't know then, I learned what taking them in would mean for me, and I will not-" She was angry on their behalf, but there was helplessness in my fiancée's voice. She knew that they were hurting, but like any teenager, she couldn't accept that you needed to clean the wound before it healed.

Sometimes, when it's been infected for so long, you might need to cut some filth out and she couldn't accept that it would take breaking them even more to start them on the path to healing.

That's why I took the choice from her hands.

"And that's exactly why I'm doing it. If someone needs to hurt them for the healing to start then I'd gladly bear their hate." I grabbed her shoulders and for once she didn't flinch from my touch. "You love them, and as much as it hurts to admit it, you love them more than you love me, but you have to know that leaving this pain to fester would only hurt them even more."

"Your Queen can't admit to herself that she loves her father. Your Rook doubts that anything in the world could ever love her if her Sister was willing to leave her. Your Bishop fears humanity because he's tasted first hand the cruelty humans subject their fellows to. If you refuse to take any action then their issues will grow and at the end of the day you will suffer for it."

"Why?" She repeated the words she uttered once before. "Why go so far?"

Ah, the question that has probably been plaguing her the entire time. Why? I had no reason to go as far as I had for her, well at least in her head that was the case. I was supposed to be a shameless pervert, one who would hop into bed with a different woman every night just because I could, and her mind couldn't fathom the fact that I may have changed when she had been living with such an image the entire time we've been together. It was quite difficult to change first impressions, that was some basic psychology I think, and I was trying to do just that.

"If they fail and their anger, grief, despair, sorrow overtakes them it will be your life on the line. I don't care if they all want me gone, if I can make sure that they'll always, _always,_ be able to defend you to the best of their ability then I'm satisfied. I only care about them because I care about _YOU._ "

The next words that came from my mouth were honest truth.

"And that's because _you_ are important to _me_ , Rias."

Somewhere deep within the depths of those blue eyes, a part of her finally believed me.

* * *

"Alright then, ladies, that's it for our Summit Forecast." Once again I had appeared before my peerage plus Ravel and minus Valerie and discussed our plan for the inevitable battle. "Are there any questions?"

"Valerie's going to be acting independently, right Master?" Siris called out from her place beside Mihae and Xuelan as she raised her hand. "Does that mean, we can't depend on her for the duration of the attack?"

We had an entire plan crafted around what happened in canon, which is honestly not that much information, but at least we had their three movements countered. The first movement, and by far the most crucial, would be dealt with by Valerie alone but I was pretty sure she could do it. She had the resolve to stand against me when it came to protecting Gasper, she would probably damage the Old School Building more than the enemy mages ever would once they came to play with Gasper's Sacred Gear. She should be much stronger than Shirone was at this stage so even if she does fail, she wouldn't fall without raising the alarm and thus calling everyone to arms.

And if that happened, then I was more than ready to end the battle then and there.

"You don't need to worry about Valerie if that's what you're trying to ask." Siris sported rosy cheeks but said nothing. "She volunteered to guard the most obvious avenue of attack and will flee should if she feels that the danger becomes too great. Rest assured, she's had enough of my blood to survive anything that would seriously threaten any of you so she will live."

"I know she's new, Master, but isn't that a bit harsh leaving her to fend for herself?" Isabela was the one who asked as the second de-facto mother of the peerage. Luna might have been the second in command after myself and recently Ravel, but my old Biker of the Opera seemed to worry about the girls the most. "We can still back her up should the need arise, can't we?"

"You will be stationed at select points around the school, though I leave the actual assignments to Luna. If ever we are attacked, and I have a bad feeling that we will be, then you are expected to conduct yourself accordingly and move as a team." I patiently explained. "Maybe Valerie will need help, but hopefully she will not after all the training you've all undergone. Some of you may aid her, though I doubt that a large number will be required to reinforce her. I trust you to carry out my orders without question, trust that I will not lead you astray even if you can't comprehend the entire plan."

"Of course, Master, we have followed you into Hell itself after all." Luna laughed, beautifully easing the slowly building tension in the air. "Though, I personally don't understand why you sent us to serve Ravel-sama for such a long time. It's our failure as a peerage not to have been there when Heaven struck you."

"I sent most of you away knowing the risks and unlike most of you, I can survive being struck by blows and spells that should kill even High Class Devils." I did not dismiss her concern but I hoped that I addressed it casually enough. Besides, from my perspective, I was in no real danger since the Ascension took place with myself, Ophis, and Valerie performing the ceremony. I didn't tell my peerage since I didn't want them to be caught in the fallout that would eventually come about when everyone discovers just how long I've been playing the long game. "Besides, I've been undertaking some secret missions from Lucifer-sama himself, and I didn't want to risk any of you."

"So the reason why you were hurt..."

"Was because I had to defend Valerie from something that would easily obliterate her." Lies, all blatant lies but if it would get them to stop questioning my orders then that was fine. "Look, I understand you were just looking out for me, Luna, and no it wouldn't have made it better if you were the one at risk, so please just trust me on these things. Contrary to popular belief, I know what I'm doing."

"I never meant to question your orders Master. It's just that we were all worried and Ravel-sama said it would be fine." Luna explained with her head bowed low and that gave me the perfect excuse to jump to the next topic.

"I am aware that Ravel gave her approval and that she has been taking command for longer than I have but I hope that you see her shortcomings now that you've personally been in charge of training her." I allowed myself to relax a bit, taking a seat and reclining as I gave my Queen a comfortable smirk. "She's brilliant in the field, but how is she when she had to act on her own orders?"

There was silence for a moment, my entire peerage trading looks at each other in a clear effort to explain my sister's situation as nicely as possible.

"We have nothing but respect for Ravel-sama as a commander." Mira offered with an energetic cheer. "She's been trying her hardest ever since she had to use the same limiters we've been using to train."

"Your sister picks up techniques and lessons quite quickly." Mihae, the solitary Bishop since Valerie was having fun with Gasper, spoke up though much more quietly. "Her control is nothing short of artistry."

"Ravel-sama is quick on her feet if anything, and for the most part she's very good at dodging." High praise since it came from Karlamine, one of my knights that successfully went head to head with Isaiah. "I could barely get her sometimes, and never anything too heavy."

"And her weaknesses, ladies?" I raised an eyebrow, and again a heavy silence fell around the room. "We're trying to help her improve, after all. You can't have me believe that she failed the third challenge for no reason after all."

"She had trouble with all of us even if we had our limiters running." Shuriya admitted with a grimace. "As much as it pained me to watch her fight, as the challenge wore on, she looked more forced and more desperate, far from the masterful strategist we're familiar with."

"Ravel-sama is a back-line commander and it showed in her own strikes." Siris came in for the kill when it came to her close combat capabilities. "She never utilized her speed and she fought exclusively on the defensive when it came to melee fighting."

"Ravel-sama is also far too weak magically, for all her skill she could not match my bombs when it came to raw firepower." Luna critiqued her magical performance. "I could match her with my limiter on, when it came off it was all but a slaughter."

"And this is after her training, correct?"

"Yes, Ravel-sama as she is now is strong enough to beat all of us save for Yubelluna, with our limiters on. But I'm sure that even Mira would give her trouble if they were fighting with the intent to kill." Marion replied with slight dissatisfaction. "I mean no offense, Riser-sama, but Ravel-sama would have to either increase her own limiters or train harder if she wants to match us in such a short time. You were much more... forgiving even when she was with us as your second Bishop and that gap has only grown since we've left her behind."

"Don't worry about it, Riser-sama, we couldn't bear hurting each other either." Nel, Ile, Ni, _and_ Li spoke _simultaneously_ that I didn't know whether to be encouraged or surprised.

Apparently the quartet, two pairs of twins, were equally as taken aback that they started laughing afterwards. The rest of my peerage couldn't help but dote on the four, well five but Mira was surprisingly disciplined, children and even I couldn't hide the smirk on my face.

"Please control yourself, children" Burent chided them gently, they all returned to order, before returning us to the topic at hand. "I would agree with you, Master, that live combat experience is a good remedy, but I don't think Ravel-sama is ready for the conflict that we are planning for."

"It's as neutral as it gets in my opinion." Mihae spoke to disagree. "We'll be expected to guard the highest powers in all three Factions. I'm not so prideful to say we actually _can_ defend them from something they can't crush themselves and the fact that they relegated such a job to a noble house just shows that this is simply done out courtesy rather than true protection."

"So we're just showpieces?" Mira, despite still being the weakest one among them, complained rather loudly. "Why are we even bothering with all this then?"

"Because it's the perfect opportunity to field test your new found strengths in live combat!" I answered rather enthusiastically, drawing strange gazes from most members of my peerage." And besides, It's not like I'll be setting out alone. Everything will be fine, just follow the plan and we'll be right as rain."

I couldn't tell back then but I unwittingly triggered a flag.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Okay, so hey guys, sorry for being really, really, _really_ late with this one. **

**IRL took more time than I thought and all that.**

 **The SB attempt was a Bust, even before it started actually; I found their DXD Rec thread had been damning it for the longest time and I'm not one to force my admittedly low quality(compared to paid novelists) writing on a platform where the fanbase apparently dislike it.**

 **The scenes omitted from last chapter are compiled here just to keep you folks tided over and the real good stuff should come sooner rather than later if my work doesn't pick up too much. Sorry for the fillerish feel of this one but I want to close some holes before moving on and all that.**

 **There's a side story in chapter 9 that I came around to writing and editing that part so there's that to make up for some down time.**

 **Thanks to King Draconias for this one!**

 **See you all next time, maybe.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: ...The World is Cruel; The World is Wicked...

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Reminder:

" **W** _o_ rds"

 _Thoughts_

[ **Sacred** _Gear_ Speak]

 **Also, I have sent a copy to my betas King D(King Draconias) and Xen-sai(Xenosaiyan) but since it's taken a long time(Don't you guys dare blame them for being as busy with life as I am) I'm releasing it anyway.**

 **This is the un-beta-ed version so read at your own risk.**

* * *

"WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!"

Anyone with half a brain could tell who was the idiot who would make such a fuss at such a pivotal meeting in front of so many high profile and magically powerful beings, but to be fair to the boy, this wasn't Issei's ordinary brand of idiocy.

I may even go as far as to say his shock was justified considering who he was pointing his finger at.

Now, this was the Historical Summit between the Three Factions and the event was to be witnessed by the Leaders of the Angels, the Fallen, and the Devils, as well as anyone they deem worthy to be in attendance.

On our side, that meant Rias, Sona, and I, though only the former two were accompanied by their full peerages, were seated behind Serafall Leviathan and Sirzechs Lucifer, who of course had Grayfia with him. Azazel, representing the Fallen was escorted by a lone White Dragon Emperor, but considering the Fallen's faulty intelligence about us, specifically me, it wasn't such a bad tactical decision. Or the other two troublesome ones might be hiding somewhere, maybe we'll never know. Heaven's party was the one that commanded the most attention, with the two wielders of Excalibur behind Michael and looking decidedly uncomfortable.

Maybe having Kokabiel between them had something to do with that.

"As agreed upon, all parties involved are in the room." With the poise and grace of the Devil himself, Sirzechs ignored the Pawn's outburst and continued to address only those seated at the table with him. "If there are no objections, I move that we begin this meeting."

In other words, _'Drop it,'_ and thank goodness that the unspoken command was enough to shut Issei up.

As for the others, Sona and her crew had varying degrees of skill when it came to the poker face, though their tension was palpable. Rias and Akeno were the only ones able to school their features, with Kiba and Issei failing to hide their hostility while Asia busied herself with sending them worried glances. I didn't think I was having trouble hiding my worry and Luna was just as expressionless as I hope I was. The rest of my peerage, specifically Mira, the two pairs of twins, and possibly Mihae would have probably caved from the sheer pressure Sirzechs was emitting, which was one of the reasons why they weren't here in the first place.

Of course, that didn't mean that the other Leader's were being cowed by Sirzechs' power play.

"We seem to be having trouble at the very beginning," Azazel spoke slyly and though it was clear that he enjoyed muddying the waters, there was a profound sharpness to his expression when he addressed his fellows. "Aren't the Devils a bit too suspicious? More than being the ones deciding the venue, isn't it too much to demand that we bring no one other than those who would participate in the Summit?"

"Don't act as if that matters, Azazel." It was Serafall who responded her voice perfectly even, though obviously more cold than hot in her tone. "We chose the venue, of course we provided sufficient security should anything untoward happen. As the hosts, we promise to do everything in our power to protect everyone from outside threats. And everyone here knows that common foot soldiers wouldn't really help should we come to blows if it was some elaborate plan to assassinate you and Fluffy over there. "

"My, my, Serafall, you're admitting to having an elite force stationed ready to strike if anything happens. I don't know about you, but that doesn't make me feel any safer at all." He turned to his brother, because after all this time, it was clear that they still saw each other as such. "See that, Michael, the kids are giving us nicknames now. Back in the old days, we had something respectable, now all we're stuck with is Beard Boy and Fluffy. Oh how the might have Fallen."

Irina and Asia, who apparently were the most childish in the room, fought back a giggle.

"Then that also means that we're using our siblings as pawns for a chance to kill you both." Serafall smiled rather sweetly at the Fallen Angel, even if it was clear that she was deadly serious. "Though your intelligence isn't the best given any Mythological Faction, I'm sure you know us better than that. Also, I know we're supposed to resolve the... peculiar issue that occurred recently but let me just say this." A pause for gravity. "Your puns suck."

In the background, Sona sighed into her palm while Saji was quick to capitalize on his King's distress.

Good man.

"The Infamous Anti-favoritism Laws." It was Michael who deemed it time to speak, his voice deep and very similar to the way anime portrayed him despite his softer features. "I understand that Devils may be inherently selfish, but what pushed you to divorce your own families? Wasn't that a bit... much even considering your circumstances?" And then. "And I'm afraid I have to agree with Serafall, brother. You never did win anyone over with your poetry."

"I'd have you know I'm great with words." Azazel leaned forward conspiringly. "Say a few things the right way and everyone would lend you an ear. At the very least, I make it so that no matter what, we Fallen all understand each other and our roles within our organisation. There isn't really any need for conflict when you're all one big family, and definitely no reason to start a Civil War." The jab at both Heaven and Hell was not in any way hidden, but both Angel and Devil remained impassive.

Michael shook his head at his brother's antics, as if the Fallen weren't products of the First War in Heaven.

"Both are actually interesting pieces of Devil History, though I must insist that we continue with the meeting before devolving into reminiscence." Sirzechs's voice was slightly softer this time, in terms of tone rather than volume as he addressed his fellows. No one could mistake the smug smile from Azazel though the Strongest Devil seemed unfazed by the Fallen's expression. "If I may call upon Kokabiel, _Angel_ of the Stars to explain himself, maybe we can consider the proposed Peace."

That part took me aback for a moment; not the fact that Sirzechs seems to cut into the meat of the issue, but his subtle evaluation of Kokabiel's actual state and how he was using him.

Kokabiel was unbound behind Michael, a fact that was obvious but one accompanied by more startling implications.

The very fact that he was unbound and unaccompanied by a greater power meant that Heaven truly trusted the Once Fallen Angel. It meant that he was accepted by the Heavens, despite the feelings of the Church and that meant they really wanted to give Peace a chance. Lastly, since he was allowed here in the first place, it meant that he had Heaven's support, that he was, in a way, able to speak for them alongside Michael in the context of this Summit.

Azazel being unpreturbed by such betrayal meant that the Fallen could also be in sincere agreement with Heaven, with Azazel being the only representative implying that in this universe, the Fallen aren't as fractured as Canon DXD implied. Shemhazai might have been busy and Baraquiel might have been scared of and for his daughter, but if push came to shove, they would be at Azazel's side if the need arose. They weren't there, so that meant that at the very least, the top echelon of the Fallen were truly united with the Scapegoat.

Of course it was possible that the Fallen agreed to send Azazel to us unguarded because some actually hoped to see him killed or they didn't care of the Three Factions united, but since I had Ophis lending me her support those individuals were not going to be an issue. There were no true Superpowers in the Fallen Faction aside from Azazel himself and his pair of sidekicks, so no matter what their other plans were, I didn't have to worry about them. I didn't think they would unite with other factions, assuming the existed at all, so there was no sense wasting precious time on that.

Sirzechs calling upon Kokabiel immediately looked like he was trying to determine Heaven's position through Kokabiel under the guise of asking the main perpetrator of the incident to defend himself.

But more than that, he was radiating power and taking command of the room as well as the situation to show us, particularly Rias, how things should be handled. As a wonderful side bonus, securing Kokabiel's testimony would remove the need for Rias and Sona to come forward as I was almost sure that all their stories would coincide with each other.

It was a Summit between Three Factions, and now Sirzechs as well as Serafall turned it into a classroom for their siblings.

I was impressed, even if it was unnecessary.

It wasn't as if this would take very long now that Heaven took the wheel.

"I sincerely apologize for my actions leading up to our confrontation." The last thing anyone in the room expected was for the Angel of the Stars to lower his head in front of everyone in the room. "But please believe that Heaven truly does wish for peace among us, among all factions if possible. We, I reached out to you, the Devils and the Fallen, our oldest enemies, to prove our sincerity to you all."

No one spoke for a moment; Rias and Sona were there alongside their siblings to refute the claims of the Angel should he be lying but no one from any faction could have considered the redeemed Fallen showing humility and contrition. Well maybe Heaven did but that was beside the point.

"Your words have been heard, Kokabiel, but that is not what I wanted to know." Sirzechs was serious now, gone was the light atmosphere that the Scapegoat eased them into, but at the very least he was polite about it. "Perhaps I was not clear, but I do not understand you; One does not steal from the Church, threaten the Devils, and then call for peace. Tell us what you wanted to achieve by your actions, why you would take the Exaliburs and bring them to my city, why you would ally with heretics, threaten my sister, and then suddenly talk of Peace."

Only then did the Angel raise his head to face his accuser.

"I will confess that I was trying to sound the drums of War, but not particularly to the tune of the Old War. I planned to take the Blades of the Church and slay the Devil Heirs and I did not care if I had to face both Heaven and Hell, I wanted to fight." The Angel, so sure of himself, so calm and collected having been welcomed back into the ranks of the Heavenly Host, slowly took on a more somber expression as he spoke. "I wanted it to end once, but like a number of us, I didn't want to do the deed myself. Call it pride, or shame, or plain cowardice, but I could not fall on my own blade despite witnessing our greatest victory, as well as our most bitter defeat. So we died slowly, day by day until we, I, could no longer stomach such worthless existence. We could no longer carry on, therefore we sought oblivion in a manner worthy of Heaven's Sons."

There was a strange painfulness in his expression. It was terrible for one of the greatest of beings to fall so low that it no longer sought to continue existing, to do so when pride and selfishness was the reason they fell was all the more heartbreaking.

"Since we are working towards peace, allow me to say this now. Though we were at war with Heaven, it was not a conflict we truly wanted." Azazel, as serious and sober as the grave for once, spoke with deathly finality. "We betrayed our own Father and He cast us out of the Heavens. He sent His Legions after us while we stole sons and daughters from His Embrace. By all accounts, we were worthless, vile, and treacherous children but we wanted to pursue our happiness in our own way, despite His commandments and teachings. Still, we never wanted to see the day that He would be conquered by Death, and worse, that we would be the ones to slay Him. We left the War at the First Light's command, and though some of us have mustered the courage to carry on, some still need a hand to hold."

Even in canon, only the strongest of the Fallen found their wills to carry on, and more often than not, they still escaped to something they had when they were in heaven. Baraqiel, Shemhazai, and even Azazel, all turned to their families, one to a daughter who rejected him, another to a wife he took despite the risk, and the last to a son who he loved almost as much as his own Father loved him.

All the other Fallen in turn clung to their leaders for strength or simply died serving as fodder for the Khaos Brigade.

"But then, just before I would meet my end, on the night that I would rise up can carry out my plans, the Light found me." It was a sight to see; the face of an Angel so bright with joy that I could swear the Angel of the Stars was glowing. "I learned that it took a span of hours, but when once I closed my eyes as one of the Rebellious Sons of the Most High, I awakened Redeemed, Forgiven, and filled with Holy Purpose. There was a message left on my lips, a message I took to you, the Devils, and too my brothers and sisters in the Fallen, before I submitted myself once more to the judgement of Heaven. From the moment I opened my eyes to the light, I was not afraid, and with the absence of fear and guilt came a strange surety that I was brought back to serve once more."

"Needless to say, we found him faultless; Justified, much like the redeemed are." Michael took the floor, and it was clear that there was no doubting the claims of Kokabiel. "We no longer care for the War, for any conflict, after we have heard the call and found it to be true. There is only One who can take what was broken, what was lacking, what was Fallen, and make it whole again. We don't know why He still hides Himself from us, or why He leaves us to govern Heaven, but we now know that He Lives, and it is His Will that we offer the sign of peace. Our Father's ways are not Ours, and maybe He wants us to govern ourselves after so many millennia, but we will not ignore this clear a sign. He wishes for Peace and we will do our best to ensure it comes to pass."

"And if it's all a lie?" It was expected that Sirzechs would be the first to doubt. "The eldest and greatest of the Fallen still roam the Earth and the Underworld. Heaven's mightiest warriors still stand ready at the Gates of Empyrean. We are the ones who have lost the most during the conflict. We are the ones who tore ourselves apart with a Civil War that shook all four corners of the Underworld. It is obvious that the Fallen have spoken, but we who have most to lose ask, why should we trust the Words of Heaven?"

"Because those born in Heaven can not Sin without obvious and dire consequences." Michael smiled, a gentle, tranquil upturning of the lips as he looked at the Prince of Devils with gentle authority. "We Angels are rigid by nature, and being tainted by Sin, in deed, word, or thought, shakes our very being and casts us from the Heights of Glory and into the earth. It is Sin that keeps us from the Gates and turns our wings black, and there are few Sins greater that perverting the message of the Lord. Heresy, no matter how apparently benign would blot even my wings black. The fact that Heaven still exists, when we are all in agreement, means that the message is Truth. The same could be said about deception, that if I lie so brazenly, I would be cast down."

Heaven's System was something alien to me. In canon, Azazel said that even thinking about allying with the denizens of Hell was enough to cast an Angel out, and that it was only Michael's interference that afforded their added freedom. To my knowledge, preaching heresy, even in ignorance, was as deserving of condemnation as Original Sin was, and yet here Michael and Kokabiel were both untainted. From that, I had to believe that the same leeway was in play, that the System under Michael wasn't as perfect as it was when God once managed it.

I couldn't allow myself to even consider the alternative.

"More than that, who would want to impersonate God just to do this?" Azazel was the one who lent his voice, his energy rising as he tried making the absurdity of the situation clear. "If Heaven is being manipulated, and fat chance of that happening, what would these would-be puppet masters gain by having us unite and work together. No outside party would benefit from our alliance more than we ever could, and as The Three Greatest Factions, no single entity could come close to toppling us. What would they gain by allowing us to restore, maybe even surpass our former glory?"

"Nothing." Michael added helpfully. "If this is God's Will then we submit to it fully. If it is a plot of mortal make then it is, by far, a very poor one."

For a moment there was silence, all three factions staring each other down as the tension within the room began to build. Sirzechs was the most serious, followed by Serafall as they looked deep into the serene and sincere gaze of the Angel Who is like God. The Scapegoat seemed a bit more tense than his brother but not as suspicious as the pair of devils he sat with, his own expression serious and calculating though as Kokabiel continued to speak, the air around him grew more and more relaxed.

Soon enough, the silence was broken by a sigh.

"I would hate to imagine how this would have went if I was the one to brought peace to the table." Azazel chuckled, a sly but relieved smile adorning his lips.

Sirzechs was the one who audibly let our a breath, but I was definitely sure everyone in the room was holding one until that moment.

"I don't think anyone would have believed you." Serafall was the most blatant, but there was a certain lightness to her voice. "We would have probably fought a bit more, but in the end we would have settled on it all the same."

"Not immediately, but if there is anyone who would be able to find a way, it would be you, Brother. For all intents and purposes, Father chose and remains adamant to leave His Throne empty, but even without His intervention, the situation demands that we work together, especially in the face of a rising foe." Michael seemed the happiest among the leaders, the glow of victory was definitely alight in his eyes. "I'm glad that we have come to an understanding, even more so that Father had given His Blessing."

"We might have to hammer out the terms of peace, but if all goes well then we might actually see the beginnings of genuine friendship between us." There was something cathartic about seeing Sirzechs defeated, but there was a smile on his face showing that he too was hoping against hope that the peace being proposed would last. "I hope we all agree that continuing to fight, when it is clear that we all have better and more fulfilling things to do, is the height of idiocy. May this be the beginning of a new and better era."

It was quite different from the canon with Heaven pushing for peace, but considering their position as the good guys, or at least the nice guys, the whole thing was resolved a bit faster.

The only problem I had now was that there was a possibility that the system was even more bugged that I thought. I would have to worry about later though. More than Xenovia's faithfulness, Heaven would either move much harder with their Deus Vult attitude or they will be turning inward and letting out more of the big guns to grow in power and serve as a passive deterrent as time passes, not like they were too active in canon.

The Fallen should act like they always do, maybe, while the Devils... that just depends on what happens next.

And it seemed like all the major problems are taken care of for now, which meant it's time to see if my little discussion with Serafall and Sirzechs actually bore any fruit.

"If that is all about the Peace Treaty for now, may I take the floor?" Met with general assent, Michael turned to Issei much to everyone's surprise. "You said you had a request for me, Red Dragon Emperor?"

All eyes were on Issei as he looked to Asia for support as well as squeezed the hand he held even tighter. The boy was far enough from me that I couldn't hear what he was saying but when resolve masked his fear, I knew that there was no turning back.

"Why was Asia excommunicated?" Issei, the manly man or giant idiot depending on how one looked at him, almost spat out at Heaven's Delegation.

It was clear that Xenovia and Irina did not appreciate what the Dragon accused them of, but the two ancient beings, the Angels, remained silent with almost regretful expressions on their faces. The rest of the room was confused, Rias' own peerage was surprised but understanding and my own Luna was appalled at the brazen breech in etiquette.

No one expected the reaction of the two elder Devils.

"Retract your question, Hyoudou Issei, this is neither the time nor the place for such concerns." All eyes were on Grayfia as she quickly and coldly rebuked the pawn of her sister-in-law. "Such matters can be settled at a later date, when all involved are present and tensions don't run as high."

If her glare couldn't freeze the sun then I had no idea what could.

"Peace, Grayfia-san." Of course, none expected Michael himself to come to the child's defense when he was so shaken by the Ultimate Queen's declaration. "I allowed him to speak his mind and the truth is that the boy does have the right to know why we allowed such a travesty to occur. I freely admit that the fault lies with me-"

"But it doesn't _only_ lie with you. When those involved on the Devil's side of things are present, we can discuss this matter properly that all facets of this tale be properly investigated, and blame properly assigned." Sirzechs spoke with such gravitas that it was impossibly to ignore. Even Michael, someone who I suspected to be at least a thousand years the Super Devil's senior, only furrowed his brow in confusion at the Satan's declaration as he was forced to listen. "It was suggested that since we would be allies from now on, I, as minister of internal affairs, ensure that no one in the Devil's side bears hostility towards our allies. If it means more work for me, then so be it. You'll be able to ask them yourself, I promise you that, Issei, but not yet."

"Hey, it's not like the Devils were alone in getting that girl out of there. If I'm not mistaken, Amaros pulled some strings too." Azazel added with a shrug as he was met with Issei's disbelieving stare, Kiba's own expressionless mask, and Akeno's harsh glare. I didn't know what to think about his willingness to throw a comrade under the bus so quickly. "Don't try to blame the Church for everything, children, but don't blame everything on the Fallen either. This time though, yeah, I admit that I had some of my subordinates try to take Twilight Healing from under the nose of the Church, both to rob them of political power, as well as for research."

The room was filled with expressions of surprise. The uninitiated were shocked to see how well the three leaders related with each other, how, at the drop of a hat, they seemed to go from cautiously regarding one another to actively covering for each other. Some of the older ones, the exorcists, Rias and Sona, as well as my Luna, seemed to wonder what they meant by robbing the Church of Political Power or the imperfections of the Church. The eldest ones seemed like they were just trying to get along with one another now that they kind of had to.

It wasn't as if they weren't trying, but even before it looked like they could really grow to become good friends, and this meeting was just proof of that.

I had to give myself a pat on the back for reminding Sirzechs and Serafall of Azaroth's involvement as well as risking a Dragon's hatred. Though they weren't exactly so excited about being pinned with blame, they knew that the faster the children matured, the better chances they had.

And they all had to accept that not everything was as black and white as it was before now that they all had to get along.

"Asia was targeted by the Fallen because of her Sacred Gear, but she was targeted by the Devils and Fallen because of the boon she was for the Chruch." I began patiently, all eyes of the younger ones turning to me as if they forgot I was even there. "Her ability to heal everything is something could serve as a litmus test as well as a recruitment poster all in one."

"Her healing naturally spreads faith, but if it is known that she could restore even demons? The hopeless and the faithful would cling to her, and maybe see that no sin is too large, no affliction beyond cure, and no man too distant from the Father that they would be turned away. The Messiah himself proclaimed love even for enemies, so those who would turn on her, throwing the accusation of aiding the foe would subject themselves to scrutiny and possible removal." Michael said with genuine sorrow as he looked at the maiden with contrition. "She would have brought hope to so many if we acted a step quicker. I accept full responsibility for allowing such a bright light to be stolen away from us."

"And here you are again taking all the credit. Do you know how many resources we had to burn just to get someone as precious as her to be considered a candidate for excommunication? I don't even know if we still have any spies left after the witch hunt that followed her disappearance!" Azazel's exasperation was palpable, though it was clear that it was only half-meant given the circumstances. "Little girl, after the Heaven's Council found out that their Light was stolen away, they went Old Testament on anyone found guilty. I even heard that Fanny Pack himself presided, and over the course of a month you managed to root out thousands of traitors."

"She was pretty much perfect as the next poster child for the Church: Asia Argento, before her fall, was innocent, beyond reproach when it comes to righteousness, yet very humble in her way. She was, is still, kind and willing to extend a hand to any who would reach out to her, to the point that she would willingly heal the enemies of the Church and send them away in peace. More than anything, she is powerful, in the way her Sacred Gear could garner the faith as well as influence." Sirzechs agreed with a serious nod, much to the surprise of the the other devils in the room. "Her greatest virtues made her the perfect target to steal away without difficulty, and while the help of a certain Devil, allowed the Fallen to move quickly enough to snag her from the Church's own seat of power."

"Onii-sama, why..." Rias, shaken as she was by the sudden revelation, moved to ask he brother why before the other Satan present cut her off.

"Confess? Because we were advised that it would be better for this to come out sooner rather than later and like we said before; it wouldn't do if members of your peerage, especially someone as powerful as the Red Dragon Emperor, had a private vendetta against the Fallen or Heaven when we want to band together." Serafall turned to Michael. "This was one of few clandestine operations we had as well as the only one in Church territory. Things like the two visits of Sirzechs close to the border a decade back as well as the more recent one closer to Romania by the Phenex, were all made known to you."

Wait... so how much did they know about our little escapade?

"Right, Phenex managed to acquire the Dhampyr Princess." Azazel turned to me with a wry smile and threw two thumbs up my way. "I'd prefer a woman that would be less inclined to biting but whatever gets you off, kid. If we have less important business, remind me to introduce you to one of my close subordinates. I'm sure you two would have a lot to talk about."

The almost imperceptible glance he threw at Akeno made it obvious who he was talking about, but I wasn't going to let such an opportunity go to waste.

Let the Bullshit flow through you, Luke.

"Please don't misunderstand, Azazel-dono, I did it purely out of a sense of pragmatism. I heard that my fiancee's servant was having trouble adjusting to his new station, so I thought that maybe a friendly face would help smooth over the transition as well as aid in his training." I allowed a gentle smile to play on my lips. "Besides, I thought my sister could use a break after winning most of my Rating Games for me."

"I had the pleasure of meeting the pair a few days ago, charming couple those two. I didn't expect Forbidden Balor View to be that close to achieving Balance Breaker so call me impressed." Azazel graced us with a smile, less wry this time and quite fatherly if anything. "Though we are getting a bit too carried away with this discussion. Red Dragon Emperor, though we cannot disclose all the information at this time, the short of Asia's story is that the Devils and the Fallen plotted to steal her away from Heaven and we succeeded."

Issei was silenced, almost content to stew with his thoughts as Asia looped her arm in his in a gesture of support. The boy was allowed to lean on her for a while, much to Rias's quiet dissatisfaction, though to wouldn't last.

"If you so wish it though, we may try to redeem you the way Kokabiel was cleansed." Micheal dropped a bomb with a smile, shocking everyone in the room into silence.

In a moment, it was Asia clinging to Issei for support.

"The method was lost, and even then only Father could do what you speak of." Azazel spoke quickly, though his eyes shone with the light of inspiration as he threw an accusing glare at Kokabiel. "Though given the circumstances..."

"I stand clean before you, brother, and before all by the Grace of the Father." Kokabiel answered with a serene smile, as if they weren't talking about taking a wreaking ball to the balance of power. "I'm sure that if we unite the Seraphim before the Tabernacle and use the Altar's Fire, we may cleanse the unclean if not raise her up as one of our own. You have received Salvation, have you not? Do you not know the words of the Last Apostle to the Romans?"

"Yes, I know those words." Asia could only dumbly nod at the Angel of the Stars before Serafall and Sirzechs broke in. There were unshed tears clouding her eyes, though I could not tell if they were born of the pain induced by Scripture or joy that came with Salvation. "The eighth chapter, the thirty eighth and thirty ninth verse."

"You had a method to raise even more Angels all along?"

"You're telling me that Aju-kun wasn't the first one to develop something like the Evil Pieces?"

You could probably tell who asked what.

"We do, though like some of the Miracles in Heaven's system, they were works only Father could perform. We didn't dare try and replicate them with Him gone, though now that Kokabiel as been returned to us, there's a possibility that Heaven's System hinged on our Faith as much as it did on that of the Church." Michael admitted with obvious excitement. He had a naturally soft and sad expression though it was clear to everyone that he was just bursting with anticipation. "If Father meant for us to use the System as He did all along, maybe this all resulted due to my incompetence. Still, Asia Argento, if you are willing to forgive this fellow Servant of the Lord, I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are once more welcomed into Heaven's arms."

On the side of the adults, all were looking at Michael and trying to comprehend just how much his statement changed the game, but all the children's eyes were on Asia. It was very slight, but Rias inched ever so slightly backwards, closer to the unofficial baby of their family, and Issei finally found it in himself to hold the girl in his arms closer to his chest.

Asia's mouth opened to reply when time halted in its tracks.

* * *

I thought I had it all planned out.

We knew that the Old Satan Faction would come for Gasper and try to use his Sacred Gear to disrupt the meeting. From there they would send in troops led by one of the descendants of the Old Satans and try to assassinate everyone currently in the room. They would fail of course, and in the end this was all just a poorly written battle scene ending with a betrayal more obvious than Haku's Gender Reveal.

The number of Magicians they would send would be irrelevant in the end since a bunch of fodder, Rias's and Sona's peerages, Vali, and Azazel were enough to clean them up in canon. Katerea went out like a bitch all things considered, and the only one who would be able to give my peerage trouble was her, as an Ultimate Class powered by Ophis, and Vali himself.

Needless to say, none of them were at a level I needed to worry about.

So when EVERYONE in the room froze, even for just a split second, I knew something went awry.

"I think our little friend grew faster than any of us anticipated." Azazel breathed heavily, snapping out of frozen time with a blast of power.

"It was projected that Gasper could grow strong enough to influence even us, but to actually accomplish it in such a short time? That boy truly is a monster." Sirzechs tone did not match the aura around him, the voice of a gentle older brother coming from a form that radiated pure destruction.

"We might have to meet him some time, I heard he was pretty cute." Serafall's giggle carried little humor as she bristled at the sudden assault and her power flared not in the controlled manner like the other leaders but like a feral beast thrashing against its chains.

"I had thought you Devils had this location sufficiently secured, is everything still alright?" Michael was the only one pristine, though that was obviously due to the control he had over his own power as well as his emotions. The fact that he had time to worry about the defenders, _my peerage,_ that could have been killed due to the breach spoke of his nature as one of Heaven's Sons.

They, just as planned, went for Gasper, but for them to have succeeded meant that they must have gone through my entire peerage to do it. Against all odds, they defeated Mihae and her Flowing Nights, Valerie and her Royal Blood, Siris and Karla with their Sword Phalanx, and my Pawns despite all of them promoting themselves to Queen Level. If this went the same way Canon would go then that meant that they should still be alive at this point.

But with even Luna still frozen beside me, I couldn't be sure.

"I have to apologize to everyone." I bowed low before the Leaders of the Summit, Sirzechs, Serafall, Michael, and Azazel, both as a sign of respect and to hide the burning anger that threatened to escape. "It's seems that the defenses I prepared were inadequate. I thought that my peerage would at least be able to stall for time against an Ultimate Class opponent but the fact that they had no time to to contact me means that I may have underestimated the threat we face."

"Raise your head, boy. If they were able to increase the power of Forbidden Balor View that it was enough to stop not only us, but the Dragons and the Excaliburs, then we may be facing something greater than anything anyone could have anticipated." Azazel shook his head as I obeyed before turning to Serafall with a knowing grin. "You're right again, Serafall, our usual guards would probably do just as much as the kid's peerage did."

Stop reminding me that they might be dead, you son of a bitch!

Serafall seemed to relax a bit, sticking out her tongue in reply before a thought pierced the forefront of her consciousness. "If you and your Queen are here, who's lead-"

"If I may make a request," There was fire in my voice, enough to tell the four in the room that I didn't care if I cut off one of the strongest Devils on our side of this war. "I'd like the chance to correct my mistake. Respectfully, if you wouldn't mind erecting a barrier to protect this room and everyone in it, I would personally like to go out and clean up after myself. Also, if none of you are opposed, please avoid mounting your own offensive after I exit the barrier. I'd normally be confident that I would be able to avoid any friendly fire, but if getting into this situation taught me anything, it's not to overestimate my strength and that of those under me."

"You want to defend your family, I can respect that." Azazel nodded with approval before gesturing towards the still frozen dragons. "I can't speak for Vali, but I will not interfere."

"We'll stay here and watch over Rias-chan and Sona-chan until they recover." Serafall comforted me with a smile as well as a hand on my shoulder. "Just go and see if they're alright, and don't worry about us."

"It is not your fault that we landed in this situation, Riser." Sirzechs was a bit more gentle than he usually was, I would even dare to say he spoke to me like he did Issei. "Go, save them. May it not be, but avenge them if you must."

"Pride comes before the fall, young one, and so does Wrath cloud the mind." Michael was the last, and it definitely didn't look like he would stand in my way. "There is no shame in asking for assistance should you need it, but until then, we leave it to you."

"Thank you." There was a hint of joy in my face as I made my way towards the window and greeted the sight of magicians crowding the fields and filling the skies. "This shouldn't take long."

* * *

In a blink of an eye, everything fell apart before the Crimson Princess.

She knew the feeling of Gasper's power all too well, and when she came to with her older brother out of his chair and Sona's sister hovering over her best friend, she knew something went wrong.

Forbidden Balor View was a rare Sacred Gear, a one-of-a-kind power that had the potential to turn into a Loginus given enough time and proper training. It was based on the eye of the Celtic God of Darkness, a being with such powerful Black Magic that his mere gaze, when directed properly, would promise death to all who fell under it. The power of her Bishop was simply an approximation of such immense power, but given that he was already able to stop the time of those who fell under his gaze, she knew it would only be a matter of time before he would be able to permanently end those who earned his ire...

Or his fear.

"Gasper... We need to..." Her voice was frantic, terror flowing through her. "My child, I-

So it was no surprise that when she recovered from being stopped, she began panicking. It wasn't everyday that a Bishop under her was able to go beyond expectation and freeze something _he wasn't even looking at._

But one who was there since her birth was ready and waiting.

"It's being handled. Don't worry about your bishop for now, he's in good hands. " Her brother took her hand comfortingly as he pulled her into his arms. "How are you feeling? No pain anywhere? Nothing still partially frozen?"

"I'm fine brother. I'm alright." Rias allowed herself to lean into his embrace, to be spoiled for just a moment longer and calm herself before she gently pushed herself out of the Crimson Satan's chest to look up at worried orbs. "But Gasper... he shouldn't be able to reach so far. It's him, I can feel it in my heart, but I know he can only affect things right in front of him. He needs me, Onii-sama, I know he's hurting and I have to be by his side, especially if his own sister wasn't able to calm him down."

Rias knew something was wrong, but more than finding out why, she was worried for her Bishop. How much pain was he in if he willed the whole world still? How much heartache was weighing him down that he needed the dimension to just stop for a while, that he may regain some semblance of peace? Catching who was responsible was secondary, she needed her Bishop calm but she couldn't do that from the comfort of her brother's arms, no matter how warm and safe it felt there.

Riser was right in some way, she needed to grow up as a King and take care of her subjects. This wasn't the best of situations but her bishop, practically her youngest needed her and she fully intended to fulfill her duty.

"It's alright, Riser's already moved." Her brother spoke more like the Prime Minister rather than the man who spoiled her all her life when he looked out the window. "He's claimed responsibility for this terrorist attack and insisted that he go out there and fix his mistake."

"WHAT?" For a moment Rias was shocked.

It was true, he did insist on taking care of security, saying that he and his peerage were more than a match for three battalions of foot soldiers from each faction and the Leaders did reluctantly agree, but then again security there was just a formality. If anything, they were counting on the fact that no one would raise a hand again what was a combination of three of the most powerful Mythological Factions since time immemorial. That her own Bishop was used didn't mean she was responsible, in the same way he wouldn't be blame that his defenses failed.

If anyone attacked, this invasion force should have been prepared to fight and slay three beings known to be the strongest in the world; The Most Powerful Male and Female Devils of their time, The Angel Like God and Commander of His Legions, the One who Fell and He who Carries The Sins of Old. If a force was formed to defeat them, how could Riser and his Peerage stand against them?

Rias didn't care about him the way she loved her peerage, or the way her Pawn held her heart, but she didn't want him to die defending her.

They haven't always agreed, and something in her heart whispered that they never would see eye to eye, but she didn't want him dead.

"Why didn't you stop him?" She all but screamed at her brother, terror, worry, and disbelief all rolled into one fell from her tongue. "That's his death he's walking into, and you just stepped aside?"

Her brother frowned and was about to give voice to his reply when, as if summoned by her very thoughts, harsh light burst from the windows and shook the room.

It was Light and as the Devil she was this light burned her eyes as much as it stung her skin when it filled the room. Even with her brother's protection, pain took over her body as a silent scream parted her mouth. The torrent of purifying light shook the barrier the Leaders erected, and despite their greater power, she could feel her blood curdle and her eyes water as what meant to be anathema to her flowed around them at such extreme quantities that it somehow seeped through the protective enchantment. It could all been in her head, but her brother held her tighter as his own darkness, an Aura of Destruction he would always keep so close to him, engulfed the room to keep the Light out.

It was not like the Light of Michael or Azazel, despite their nature as Angels and Fallen; Their light didn't burn with such malice or hate, despite who they were and what they were capable of. For such Light to reach so far, to hurt so much, was a terrifying thought.

She couldn't bear to think about her fiance on the other side of the barrier.

Rias couldn't tell if the attack lasted for seconds or hours but the room continued to rattle, Light peeked through the wall every now and again, and the other Leaders brought their powers to bear to defend themselves, but soon enough the attack died down and silence reigned. Her Brother's darkness faded, Michael's Light dimmed, the sheer cold of Serafall disappeared, and Azazel's tainted haze retreated and what greeted her was a battlefield straight from her parents' worst horror stories.

There were no corpses, but the school around them was gone. They still stood in what once was the meeting room, the floor was still there but the walls were chipped away until there was nothing left and the roof above their heads was utterly destroyed, revealing nothing but open sky. All around them, through the translucent barrier the Leaders maintained, she could see what was an army brought forth to destroy them.

Magicians, a thousand strong with more filtering in besides, crowded the destroyed courtyards of the school, and filled the skies that could have held the ranks of their own armies. Each of them had a spell at the ready, many of them holding circles and orbs of light while others took to the more esoteric miracles, the elements, pure force, the deepest darkness and the depths of the mind, and she could feel from them the oppressive aura she knew only as killing intent. She could feel their power, united against a single purpose as they crowded around the pillar that they sat on, the remains of Kuoh Academy, the magicians' opening salvo had ensured nothing else remained.

A breath escaped Rias when she saw him.

Her fiance was all that stood against the rising tide and Riser, covered with cuts burns and tattered clothes, looked like he wouldn't last very long. The mask of arrogance he wore so well couldn't hide the truth from her, if a Phenex was in tatters, when it was demanded of them that they always look their best, meant that they were on their last legs.

In her opinion, if the mere after effects could reach her, the fact that he even survived the onslaught of Light and Magic was impressive in itself.

"Hear me enemies of the Three Factions." His voice was tired, he didn't try to hide that, but beneath it was an undercurrent of anger so powerful that it threaten to take even her. "You who try to disrupt the Summit have failed. We have already been united in purpose and in power and as such there is no more reason for you to gather here..."

The Declaration was bold, even she could appreciate that, but taking refuge in audacity, especially against overwhelming force, never ended well. Despite the fact that she knew her fiance must have known better, the youngest son of Phenex still spoke as if he was above all of them.

"I, Riser Phenex, have received permission to deal with you as I saw fit so I offer this one and only chance." He took a breath before he roared, his voice gaining power as his magic was made manifest an almost hiding the fact that he would not last very long. " **Return to me my Peerage, release the Vampire and Yokai of my Beloved, and never raise a hand against the Alliance of Three again. In return we will let you leave in peace. Any action other that this will be met with force, and I will personally ensure that you will regret refusing me.** "

The silence was so thick that it wouldn't part even if you took a blade to it.

"Adorable, child. Simply adorable."

The army responded by parting, revealing in the sky a magic circle that once adorned the palaces of the Devil, no being among those present, save maybe the children, could mistake the magic circle and the Great Prince of Envy who carved it upon everything she would claim.

"Is that it? You'll make me regret refusing? Do you take me for a fool, child?" The woman who emerged for the circle, as proud and resplendent as her lineage and the name she carried, smiled condescendingly and she looked down her nose at all of them.

Katerea Leviathan laughed, and what may have once been music grated on her ears as the descendant of one of the greatest Devils mocked them with her mirth. She clutched her sides as she flew above them on five pairs of leathery pinions and she brushed away her tears even as her army continued to fill the skies and the earth with their numbers. She didn't take any of them seriously, and if Rias was in her position, she wouldn't either; Riser was a mere High Class Devil, and with an army of about a thousand and one magicians of sufficient strength, even an Ultimate Class Devil would fall eventually. She had an army crafted to destroy several Satan Class combatants, and being an Ultimate Class herself, someone of Riser's level wouldn't even register as an annoyance.

"How about I give you my counter offer, hmmm? Maybe if you swear your loyalty to me, here and now, I'll let you watch as I dismantle your Peerage. You will serve me, maybe as a servant, as we bring the new world from the ashes of the old. I will make you're life painful and hard, but you will live." There was a tendril of terror at reached out to her; It was a creeping thing, slow, cold, and terrible that tightened her chest when the Peerage of her fiance was mentioned. "You're a smart little boy, aren't you? Making them guard the Vampire was genius... if only they were strong enough to resist the first strike. I especially loved it how your pets screamed for mercy."

Even from behind the barrier, Rias could feel something was wrong. Riser did not react, he didn't flinch, his mouth didn't pull into a thin line, his eyes neither widened nor did they narrow, and his mask of indifference wasn't even cracked at the mention of his peerage being threatened before him. She knew something was wrong in the same way she knew he cared for them, and if the worst was to pass and little Ravel was leading them as he stayed in the Meeting Room, there was no way he could keep his composure.

But that was exactly what he did.

"Choose, little boy. Will spare you as you callously throw away the lives of those corrupted filth you call a peerage?" Katerea sneered down, her lips stretching a bit too far and her expression a bit too twisted to even be human anymore, as she gathered power in her hands, the entire army around her doing the same. Magic swelled up from all around, the pressure palpable even from behind the barrier as she laughed at the inner turmoil that seemed to have taken over her fiance. "Or should I slay you where you stand and then make them my toys?"

"I warned you..." His voice was hollow and soft and it was only because the battlefield was perfectly silent that she managed to hear the whispers he uttered under his breath just as his wrath was made manifest.

Rias blinked and the whole sky was _burning_ _._

"I warned you and you didn't listen."

Screaming filled the air even as magic was prematurely unleashed by magicians engulfed by the flames and even the magic itself was consumed by the blaze that just as suddenly materialized in the skies. The conflagration soon occupied everything the light touched, the heavens and the earth as far as the eye could see, stretching for miles even as the trapped magicians screamed in pain and terror.

 **"I promised you would regret this, didn't I?"**

* * *

 _ **The M Rating is earned here, tread carefully. You guys can skip until the next SAFEWORD. Put that crtl + f to good use if you're** **squeamish**_ **.**

* * *

She could imagine how hot the flames were, the pillars, the flares, the roaring blazes and overwhelming infernos all glowing a dark blue, reminiscent of the hottest flames at the heart of a newborn star. Still the screaming of his victims did not cease. With how the flames lapped at their bodies, burning their robes and scaring their flesh, they still screamed when they ought to have been evaporated on the spot. When their magic burned, their weapons burning, and even the _space_ seemed to be on fire, they still lived, still suffered through the impossible pain of being ionized alive.

 **"So you will suffer, just as I promised in a sea of flames."**

He was perfectly calm as he spoke, a small pillar of flame at his side fashioned in the shape of a sword, as he looked up at Katerea, the only one untouched by the flames that consumed her army along with the rest of the horizon. The commander of the army was too consumed by her shock to offer a rebuttal, as her mind still struggled to comprehend just how she had ended up in the situation she was stuck in. Rias joined her in that regard, wondering how Riser managed to summon fire so large, so vast, and so hot that it devoured an army that was crafted to end the life of her brother.

 **"First, I will take your wings, Bat."**

No one was given time to think on the meaning of those words when Riser _moved._

The blue blade of flame, burning even more intensely than the great and terrible inferno around them, was not swung more than it was flung at the Leviathan who challenged him. A mere gesture sent forward a blade of flame even faster than any eyes could follow, the blaze flashing into being acted like a blade, cutting the Ultimate Class Devil's left arm off with contemptuous ease before she was even aware of it.

The first arm hadn't even fell an inch from her shoulder when the blade of flame flashed again, and a second wave came forth even before the first faded. This time left arm was taken with as much resistance as a leaf would offer the tempest winds. That was the only time the Leviathan was allowed to feel what had transpired, allowed to feel the pain of having both arms cut off in a single moment and the Lady among the Old Satans screamed like a banshee mourning the dead.

Rias herself couldn't see the cut, couldn't see when her fiance moved. All she knew as that an instant before, Katerea still had arms and now she did not.

Still, the Son of Phenex was unsatisfied.

The flames exploded when it cut off her second arm and spread to cover her entire back faster than she could comprehend what she saw. Each wing bubbled and boiled in the heart of the blast, the hellish temperatures burning them away until each of the once awe-inspiring pinions were nothing more than ash. The explosions that continuously screamed out blew them into the wind until only lifeless, scarred stumps remained.

Even when they were gone, when the was nothing sprouting from Leviathan's back, the birth of fire did not cease.

Her fiance intended to roast her alive even as she fell from the burning sky.

Confusion, agony, and abject terror forced her expression to contort into something monstrous, and such an ugly face was even made worse when a hand snaked its way around her throat. Her screaming was muffled, completely overpowered by the ensuing explosions that Rias could barely hear the guttural sound of the throat being held so tightly that barely any air could escape...

When had Riser closed the distance between them?

 **"Now, Bat."** The words was clear, sounding above the roaring flames and the inferno that burned around them did roar like a ravenous beast. It echoed above the screams of the damned fools who thought antagonizing a literal sun was a good idea. It was beyond the shock that transfixed them all when they realized that Riser Phenex, a boy they would hardly describe as strong, held the Princess of the Leviathan by the throat, flaying her back with dark blue fire, and was slowly tightening his grip. **"Who took my girls?"**

Just as they appeared, the inferno that surrounded the school faded away and with it left the ashes of the thousand strong army that once filled the sky. Riser turned his head in the direction of the only building that stood, the Old School Building the place she and her own Peerage felt most safe aside from their own homes.

The very same refuge that held her Rook and her Bishop hostage.

Almost thoughtlessly, Riser lazily swung at the old building, summoning a wave of flame, deep as the night and yet hotter and larger than any blaze she could imagine.

It was a miracle in itself that such fire didn't escape to consume the rest of the city beyond.

The magic itself was chillingly familiar; she had watched young Ravel use a similar blast of flame in a form of a massive dragon to crush the rest of her peerage during the rating game, but it was clear to all that this was not that same flame. What was once a dragon, a symbol of power wrought in dark flames of hell, stood only as a match in her memories compared to the sheer size of the wave that came forth. It was as if the sun reached down and a frightful prominence fell from the heavens, eager to devour the earth from horizon to horizon until there was nothing left of what was once the kingdoms of man.

Rias knew that all would believe if she said an angry god stuck what was once Kuoh Academy.

Such overwhelming power parted over the Old School Building much like ocean did against the cliff and all could see why her fiance asked such a question. There was a wall around her fortress, a barrier much stronger than any she had known. Fortifications enough to stay the hand of an Ultimate Class Devil but it looked like, though only the enemy seemed to know why such defenses stood. To Rias's knowledge, the only barrier in the area was the one she had made to keep Gasper in, there had never been something so powerful to keep something like an Old Satan out otherwise they wouldn't have ever thought to confront Kokabiel when he was raised.

 **"It would be a simple matter to crush such a meager shelter, but regrettably I'm sure that whoever dared do _this_ could end my peerage faster than I them."** He spoke of the barrier like it was worth nothing, and the situation, that Gasper managed to stop the area over the entirety of Kuoh Academy, like it was even less than that, but even Rias could hear the wrath in his deceptively calm voice. **"Call them out, tell them to release mine and my fiancee's and I will not simply kill you all when we're done with all this."**

In response, Katerea found in herself enough strength to spit in the face of the Sun.

He was not amused.

 **"I see, then, Bat, maybe I shall take your legs."**

They weren't given enough time to ponder on his meaning when his hand flicked upwards, throwing Katerea toward's the heavens with the ease of which someone would throw a schoolgirl's doll. She didn't manage go far before his hand met with supple thighs and the Princess of the Leviathan renewed her keening. The flames in his hand, the sword that burned at her army and commanded fire like king would his subjects, burned into previously unmarred skin, trained muscle until she was fairly sure he grasped solid bone.

Then he pulled.

Rias saw him as he cut her arms with contemptuous ease and burned her wings off as one would play with insects. She watched him burn alive and torture a thousand and more as the fires of Phenex consumed them while the healing in his wings denied them from death's mercy. She watched as the man she was promised to turned into a monster and laid waste to everything that was against him.

She had to look away as he held her by the femur and tore her apart.

* * *

Issei didn't know how long the screaming lasted.

 _What is this?_

It had been the thing to wake him up but he couldn't measure just how long the sound stretched.

 _Was I like this too?_

The woman who came through the portal now an arm-less, wing-less, leg-less, _thing_ just kept wailing her throat raw.

It wouldn't help her; he knew as much as he loved breasts that all that screaming wouldn't do _shit_ against Riser Phenex.

 _Was it always so hopeless?_

He liked to think he wasn't the first one to notice that she wasn't bleeding anymore, and it was smoke that was beginning to come out of the stumps that once supported limbs and wings. He liked to imagine that he wasn't the first to see that the pair were bathed in soothing green light amidst the cobalt firestorm. He liked to say that he wasn't the only one who felt like the woman's left leg hitting the ground was like the sound of a gunshot ringing in the distance.

But he knew that wasn't true.

He knew that it was entirely possible that he was the only one looking at the woman and not the monster that held her upside-down by her remaining leg.

Everyone else would be cowering in fear of the monster, and since they were Devils they might have been marveling at how he did his duty.

This was a defense, right?

Riser was supposed to be guarding them, or at least that's what he told everyone when he came into the room. So wasn't this just in a day's work?

He was supposed to be fighting, and he was utterly dominating, someone that could give the Old Satans a run for their money. Issei didn't know much but in the video games he played, that was something Final Boss level if not Secret Boss; so wasn't this a good thing?

He hoped not.

He hoped to every power that would hear him that this wasn't something to be celebrated, but too many things had come and tried to destroy that belief.

Asia's excommunication was planned, in part by the Devils.

The Bishop and Priests that tortured Kiba didn't do so on the Church's command.

Issei was killed for what was in his arm, and even then it was a mistake.

The worst wounds were too easily opened; the blue flames that surrounded them were exactly like the ones that burned the life out of him when he dared to call the Son of Phenex out. The way he beat her to the ground like she was worth less than nothing struck a chord in him that he dearly wanted to tear out and silence. Even the words he said, and he had awakened to that chilling statement, brought back the fear of months as if the battle was no less than an hour ago.

 _"I warned you"_

He really did warn them, both Issei and the woman, Leviathan if he could remember right, before he bore his wrath against them.

 _"I warned you and you didn't listen"_

Neither of them did; Issei could remember how proud he was when he realized that Sirzechs Lucifer, Buchou's own older brother, gave him the freedom as well as the right to challenge Riser Phenex. This woman, as twisted and evil as she was, was warned when she had her army behind her and they were whole enough to attack them. They didn't know what was coming to them, and both of them weren't prepared for the brutality that followed.

Issei didn't feel as much sympathy as he would knowing that this Leviathan attacked Koneko-chan and Gasper-kun, his two precious juniors, but even he had to draw the line at what he saw.

He wouldn't claim to be right all the time, and he knew that he had, many a time, fought for the wrong reasons but this...

This was wrong.

This was worse that Buchou's brother admitting that the Devil's had a hand in Asia's exile, at least they were, or seemed sorry about it and everything ended as well as it could. It was worse than his and Asia's deaths, that one was, _is,_ particularly painful but it was a misunderstanding at the root of it and again they were trying to make everything better. This was even worse than the entire Marriage situation, as little as he understood about it; it slowly became clear that Riser was in the right and had been in the right about that, and if anything he misread the bastard if he was still willing to give Buchou the chance to choose after a year.

This was wrath in its purest form, vengeance given terrible life, a stark image of how power corrupted but more than that...

 **"Let's try this again, shall we, Bat?"** Riser Phenex spoke, and though he did not roar, his wrathful voice echoed throughout the desolate wasteland his power wrought. **"Where are my girls?"**

Issei couldn't say with absolutely certainty that he wouldn't do the same thing.

He gave in before, again and again now that he thought about it. He abandoned the woman he claimed to love despite her warnings when Kiba was taken by grief. He gave his arm for power to save Buchou when he couldn't contain his greed. He gave into his wrath when Asia was taken from him and he would have killed Raynare if Buchou gave him the honor. He had been driven by his libido all his life, by emotion and desire that he wasn't sure that he could hold back if someone threatened those he loved.

More than the monster, the fact that he might have been just a step away from what he was watching simply _terrified_ him.

" _You're just as much as monster as he is."_ A voice echoed from the depths of his consciousness, so soft that he thought he might have imagined it. The only women who could speak were the two Leviathans, one holding her sister for all she was worth while the other hung by her ankle. " _It's always either for Power or Love, and for those you will choose Destruction time and time again."_

Issei found that he could even think of denying.

"Why... should I... tell you?" Her voice was weak shaken by misery, but defiance dripped from the tongue in equal measure

" **Because I might just kill you if you tell me.** **Right now I think you would make a wonderful toy.** " Riser hissed, the flames that were his wings burned ever larger as his wrath mounted. " **You can't resist as you are now, and you still have all the essentials. There are toys out there made in your likeness, and I'm sure the Red Dragon Emperor would be ecstatic have you for a night or more."**

As what was hidden deep within his closet came to the forefront of his mind, Issei thought he was going to be sick.

" **If you want to carry on the blood of Leviathan so much I'll be more than willing to whore you out to anyone depraved enough to want to rut with a Bat.** **But that's not enough yet, is it? Maybe I should find dear Creuserey and make him watch.** " Magic lifted the woman up, just enough that she could see Riser as he smiled beatifically. " **I'm sure there's nothing he would enjoy more than seeing the love of his miserable life reduced to something as lower than common wench. At they they have agency, or at least they can act on it.** "

"Burn... in hell Phenex..." Katerea opened her mouth and bit down with all the strength she had left, but instead of blood, dark purple ichor flowed from her lips and down her throat. Despite her state, she suddenly was overcome with strength enough that her form thrummed with power that even he could feel the magic radiating from her ruined body.

 _ **"The Pride of Leviathan will not be denied! If I die today, then at they very least I'll take you with me!"**_

This time, instead of the Deep Darkness, Unholy Light robbed him of his vision.

* * *

 _ **SAFEWORD: Alright people, this isn't as dark as the section you might have skipped =))**_

* * *

For a moment, there was peace as everything cleared away.

The fires had died a long time ago, and there seemed to be nothing left of the Leviathan who arrived to try and ruin the beginnings of peace. Time still remained frozen but there were no longer any enemies. It would have been a simple matter for the Three to head to the Old School Building and rescue the Bishop that started all this, but for now they were content to take a moment to breathe.

Many things still needed to be done, and strangely enough the first thing they needed to do was help Riser Phenex.

Despite all his power, he was struck down, lying an a crater as deep as any produced in their first battle and coated in wounds and burns that even Issei had trouble remaining angry at the man. It was clear that they needed to take him, lift him up and heal his wounds before trying to undo the power of his effeminate junior. As much as he didn't like it, as much as he disagreed with the methods, Riser did stick out his neck for them, and while he was badly hurt after the battle, it was clear that the Princess of the Old Satans were utterly annihilated in the clash.

Issei didn't know what to feel about such a victory.

They would regroup, spend a short time recovering before storming the Old School Building and rescuing the rest of his fellow peerage members.

It was simple.

"So Katerea failed, huh?" No one was more surprised thnt Azazel when Vali suddenly spoke, his tone disappointed but not at all surprised. White armor materialized around him as Divine Dividing entered it's Balance Breaker and in that same instant, unmistakably demonic energy cracked between his claws.. "I should have known not to trust that woman."

At least it would have been, if it weren't for one problem.

There was no room for shock as the Heavenly Dragon moved with a speed that surpassed all but one. It was only fitting that one who was able to save both the still frozen exorcists from Heaven and the shocked heiresses from Hell was the Leader of the Fallen. Azazel's spear was the one that deflected one of the twin bolts of demonic energy, and though both Michael's Light and Sirzechs' Darkness came speeding after, the White Dragon Emperor had already taken to the relative safety of the skies. Afraid of further retaliation not for themselves but for their chargest, all three Leaders restored the mighty barrier, excluding the boy all knew as the Scapegoat's own son.

Riser Phenex was just unlucky, just too far away.

"Vali, what is the meaning of this? Answer me!" His voice was painted with a myriad of emotions, confusion, grief, despair, regret, but those perceptive enough found not a hint of rage within the heartfelt plea. "Do you betray me now, after everything?"

It was impossible to discern the expression of the White Emperor as his mask had been donned ever since he lashed at the children the leaders protected. In comparison, Azazel wore a mask contorted by the pain of betrayal, for the son he had once loved raised his hand against him for reasons known only to the boy himself.

"We cannot flourish in times of Peace, Azazel." He spoke without inflection, without the pain or regret or grief his father was pouring out. "The Dragons are meant for War, the Sacred Gears are tools of destruction, and we as the wielders can only thrive among the embers fanned by conflict. It was inevitable that I join them when peace was decided, I simply can't live in such a detestable era."

"You would throw the happiness of so many others just for a fight?" Serafall, arguably the bloodiest among the devils who fought in the war, demanded with fervor that didn't match her icy glare. "You would bring all this ruin, just so you could clash with another? And you wield all this power without true direction? DO YOU INTEND TO END THE WORLD JUST FOR THAT ?"

To that, the White Dragon Emperor only chuckled and graced them with a smile as his helm opened.

"The thrill of battle is it's own reward. I do not care that I die, or what the goals of this organisation are, or what any of you think. The way to Domination is one carved through the bodies of my enemies. I refuse to stagnate, I refuse to die complacent and idle, I refuse to give in to the illusion that is your Peace." Wings erupted from his back, and four pairs of leathery sails joined the ones fashioned from a dragon's light. "I Vali Lucifer will rebel against Peace and fight until eternity snuffs itself out. Woe be unto all who stand in my way!"

"Is that it?" Of course, in the midst of time being stilled, of defeat hanging looming over them like an executioner's blade, it was the other dragon growled in challenge. "Are you done with your monologue?"

"It was just a joke, you know? Only idiots talk like that these days." The Lucifer's light only served to shine brighter when he taunted the unarmored boy. The power of Dragons, Devils, and Humans shined from within him and his wings grew until they were streams of light just waiting to be unleashed on his foes. "Still, I want to know, Weakest of the Red Dragons, what do you say? What does a newt squeal when facing a Dragon? We're destined to clash sooner or later, so tell me; what do you fight for?"

"I say you're full of shit." Issei replied, almost tiredly as he looked up at his supposed rival. "War, The Factions, Politics, Destiny; I don't like thinking about those things. I'm not smart, I know that much so I don't particularly care about you or what you are. All I ever wanted was to be a Harem King, but even in that, even becoming a Devil and claiming a Dragon in my arm, I can't even do that. First it was that Fried Chicken, then it was a Fallen turned Angel bringing a war and then peace, and now it's you; there's just so many in the way that it's getting frustrating."

"I find it laughable that something as weak as that could be able to stop you." Vali taunted from on high, laughter on his lips. "He's not even an Ultimate Class Devil yet, and he could stop the might of the Red Dragon Emperor? How weak are you if you can't even do that much? How long do you think you'll last against me if you can't even take down a little bird?"

No one seemed to expect Issei joining his rival in laughter, not even Vali himself.

"You just hit that Little Bird while he was down, but then again that's what I would have done. I'm so weak that I can't even protect anything! I couldn't protect Asia when she was slain. I couldn't protect Buchou from that overgrown bird and his ego. I couldn't protect Kiba from his hatred. Even now I can't protect Koneko and Gasper from whoever you sent to do all this." He gestured towards the surroundings, whatever forcing Gasper to halt time still going strong. "But if I learned anything, it's that we don't stay weak if we don't want to. Since our defeat, I've been trying to get better. At everything. With every loss, I'm trying to get smarter, trying to grow stronger, and trying to be better. So go ahead and try to beat me, You probably will but..."

The aura of the Red Dragon exploded around Issei, and on his left arm, human flesh and weak fingers gave way to strong armored scales and vicious claws.

"I'll just keep growing strong until I can beat everyone who gets in the way of my dream."

The White Dragon Emperor looked at his rival condescendingly, though his eyes seemed to narrow as Issei's right arm completed its metamorphosis. His eyes seemed to glance towards the Leaders -Azazel, Michael, Serafall, and Sirzechs all content to let the apparently destined confrontation play out- before shifting again to the injured Phenex, who still hadn't moved after he was struck again. He finally ended on his rival, Issei himself, and as he found what he was looking for, the descendant of the true Lucifer nodded.

"Perhaps, but I still think you're a bit too slow. You've been defeated so many times, and even if you've survived and grown after all that, it's still not enough yet." Vali snapped his finger, summoning more demonic and draconic power before grinning excitedly. "I know that you're nothing special; no magic line to speak of, no martial prowess, no influence, or even wealth. All you have is that Dragon in your arm and even then you've never had it for even a year. Maybe if you lose even more, you'll finally gain the power you need to fight me evenly."

Vali paused, and it Issei, the grin seemed to flicker with evil intent.

"Maybe I should start with your parents first, and work my way from there?"

Everything around Issei stopped when he heard those words.

"Why?"

His father was a salary man who worked hard day after day, even until Issei didn't really see him aside from breakfast and dinner. He was a simple man who loved his wife and son, so much so that he was often going with their flow rather than making known what he wants. Hyoudou Gouru was a man who's life was centered on his family, and no matter what sacrifices he had to make, he ensured that his wife and his son -no matter how stupid, perverted, and useless he was- were happy. He was the one who taught Issei how to be a man, and even until the point of indulging his perversion from time to time but never looking at a woman as lovingly as he did his own wife.

"What did my parents ever do to you?"

His mother was a housewife who cooked and cleaned the house tirelessly, everyday, no matter how late he or his father was from school and work. No matter how late he came home, there was always food for him wrapped up and waiting on the dinner table or whenever his father was home late, she would always wait at the door, just so she could support him enough to feed him dinner, help him to the bath, and into bed. If his father always working for the good of the family, his mother almost never left his side unless it was necessary. Hyoudou Sayako would always remind his son that women were to be respected and cherished as much as they were to be admired and no matter how hard Issei tried, he _couldn't_ remember a time she wasn't by his side when he needed her.

"Why would you even drag them into something they have no connection with?"

They were never normal, not really, but they were always enough for him. His mother was a silly woman befriended a sword wielding priest because she was excellent at kendo herself. His father taught him how to fish as well as fight, even if he was never good at either.

Still they never questioned why he started staying out late or hanging out with different people because they trusted him enough to do so, and he never wanted to break that trust. He kept them out of the loop to avoid worrying them, and to keep them safe from the threats of the supernatural world.

What kind of a son was he if he couldn't even do that?

 _Was this all my fault?_

"You cherish them, so if I take them away, then you'll be forced by your grief to come and seek vengeance." Vali replied flippantly, uncaring, callous, and hatefully arrogant. "Maybe then you'll manage to gain enough strength to entertain me. Of course, if not then at least you can join them after I'm done with you, so I don't see the problem."

 _Oh... so it is._

"I'm going to kill you." Issei's voice lost all cheerfulness, all humor, all confusion as the Boosted Gear slowly materialized over his left arm.

"That's what I want to see!" Vali, the bastard that he was, smiled, his expression genuinely happy as his helmet closed and hid his face. "You're power is rising with your emotions, so give me your anger, your loathing, and your hate. Give me everything you have and watch me crush you!"

 _[Be warned Vali.]_ The armor itself spoke, the voice of Albion coming from a place on the boy's back. _[This is far more than any surge of power a wielder should be able to unleash. Even if the Sacred Gear feeds on the emotions of its user there should be a limit to how much their power can grow. His body shouldn't be able to handle this much power, given how weak he was just moments before.]_

"Do you hear that Hyoudou, you've even managed to make Albion take you seriously!" Vali laughed as power gathered within his palms, bursting from his wings of light, and filling the jewels all over his body with a menacing blue glow. "Show me the power of the Weakest Dragon Emperor before I grind you into the dirt!"

 _Behind you..._

A voice, more feminine and so close that Issei could sweat that it came from his own mind, bid him to turn just in time grasp a familiar jewel as it flew towards him. A few paces beyond and rising from the crater his body created, Riser looked at him with serious expression and his arm outstretched; anyone could tell it was he who threw the jewel which meant that...

He couldn't even complete that thought when he found himself in a world of pure white.

 _It is I, child._ The voice spoke again, less muted but instead of his head, Issei couldn't tell if it came from the jewel itself or the armored claw that held it. _Why do you continue to deny me?_

"Where are we? Who are you?" Issei's own voice was tinged with worry, desperation, and grief as he frantically looked around only to find the colorless horizon spreading into infinity. "It doesn't matter, I can't stay here! I need to teach that bastard a lesson before he kills my parents!"

 _It matters not, child, for you are not strong enough._ _Should you meet the White One in battle, you will be at his mercy._ A human hand grasped at the the arm of the Red Dragon. _You know he will torture you; either he will play with you before granting you death with the hope that my next chosen one would be stronger, or he will let you live long enough to rob you of everything and everyone you hold dear._

"Then what should I do?" Issei screamed into the distance. "I will not run away from him! I will return to them, beat that bastard into the ground, and protect them!"

 _Leave it to your superiors then. Shouldn't they hold power greater than those who defeated us? The White One is Mighty indeed, but as he is, the Commander of His Legions, the Taker of Sin, and the Scion of Lucifer are enough-_

"But they won't protect my parents! Buchou's brother would protect Buchou, Akeno-san Kiba, Asia, Koneko-chan, and Gasper-kun. Michael-sama would protect Irina and Xenovia. Azazel-san would fight that bastard off but none of them would go out and defend people who have nothing to do with this!"

He knew the Fallen had led their numbers act outside their orders.

He knew that the Church couldn't be anywhere to protect the innocent.

And somewhere, deep in the dark, treacherous corners of his mind, he knew that the devils might not care since Vali was correct in the end.

This would inevitably make him stronger.

He just wasn't willing to pay the price for that strength.

 _Are you even willing to wield my power?_

The sudden question stopped Issei cold.

 _I have been generous, child. I have taken your arm, but instead of just ten seconds, I have slowly been feeding you my own strength, carefully that your body might adapt to the power of dragons instead of being destroyed by it._ Ddraig, and Issei couldn't even bring himself to care that the Dragon sealed in his arm spoke with as much patience as his mother. _You have denied yourself of that strength, day after day, clinging onto your weakness and scorning my blessing._

Really? If he simply kept the draconic power in his left arm instead of having it purified by Akeno-san, he could have had enough strength to beat Vali? And why did he throw it away again? "My arm was turning into something monstrous..."

Ddraig laughed from behind him, a teasing, sincere, but condescending laugh; it was the time he told his mother he wanted to marry her all over again.

"And you're saying that a Dragon has no control over his appearance?" The voice was clearer this time, something spoken rather than thought and when he turned around...

Red.

From the colorless white came a woman, dressed in the most intense shade of red he had ever seen, with eyes that burned brighter than fire, hair more brilliant than rubies, and a figure that could make marble goddesses green with envy. Issei could not fall in love with such beauty though, he couldn't gawk at the way her slim figure emphasized her breasts and hips, how she still had such womanly curves despite her narrow waist. She could have been naked for all the world but Issei would not have flung himself at her, but flee.

Her power was too apparent.

Unlike Raynare in her horrible glory, Buchou when she let her power loose, even Leviathan-sama when she was suddenly serious, this woman's mere presence, her Majesty, far overcame the charm of her beauty.

Any doubt in his mind that this wasn't the Red Dragon _Empress_ was washed away when he felt such an aura.

There was only one thing he could do.

"Help me."

He fell on his knees, striking the white floor as he looked up at Domination personified.

"Please."

And the radiant woman, the vision of absolute power, smiled.

"Anything for my son."

* * *

 **AN: If this is later than expected, blame life, work, and all those necessary distractions.**

 **I wanted to end it in one chapter, have the whole meeting, battle, and resolution all in one sitting but I have quite a lot planned (yes even after this scene) so I thought to cut it in 2 chapters so it doesn't drag too badly.**

 **Full disclosure, this was supposed to be a 20k chapter and it wasn't even done yet at that point, so I cut it up.**

 **Some clarifications, this is the first time Ddraig is speaking to Issei since unlike canon, Riser took a part of him, now a her, out during the fight. Most of the stuff off screen is basically the same, except Xenovia's rough training is replaced with Valerie's more gentle but Vampire specific exercises. I'll probably make that a side story for next chapter if I get around to finishing it so there's that.**

 **I never liked how Asia's but was done. It's written that Christians must love their enemies and pray for them, so I don't see anything wrong with Asia being able to heal devils, especially when the Church knows that these 'devils' could easily be turned humans. So I wrote it that they were fooled rather than they dumped her as soon as they could. As I said before, Heaven is getting a major buff since I don't think the author of DXD knew how Christianity worked.**

 **Fanny Pack is well, she'll be important.**

 **Is it me or I'm turning more of the DXD cast into females?**

 **Anyway, that's it for now I guess, questions, comments, and my favorite; Flames, go to PM's or Reviews and you people can follow and favorite if you feel like it.**

 **No pressure.**

 **See you all next time, maybe.**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: ...If I Don't Kill You, Just Know You Gon' Suffer This Time..

* * *

 **Again, I'm posting this ASAP so no beta work yet. Please forgive the weirdness and I'll change it as soon as my betas give me their edits. Of course, I did some correcting myself, but dyslexia is a bitch.**

 **READ AT YOUR OWN RISK**

* * *

I woke up face to face with me.

Or rather face to face with Riser, just after the explosion even Azazel was fearful of flung him -Me?- into the ground.

Having an out of body experience filled me with such deep-

CONFUSION

-that...

wait...

Huh, that was strange feeling, but more than that the alien thought filled me with-

WORRY

I shook myself, or whatever passed as me, and grit my teeth to prepare for the worst. Since developing that little spell, I haven't been able to feel the slightest bit of-

PAIN

It wasn't the overwhelming wave I was afraid of, but that didn't tell me if I should have been more consumed with concern or-

ANGER

I guess some of that needed to be directed to me; I did get cocky but, losing confidence in the middle of a battle-

RESOLUTION

That was beside the point. I managed to get hit by something so beyond me that some enchantments that were simply _there_ , things that did nothing to shield me, disappeared. I'd say with confidence that they were all gone, except-

REALIZATION

-one: The deepest spell I had in effect; a contingency I never intended to use had somehow triggered. Which meant somehow, I came very, _frighteningly,_ close to death. I could figure that out later, right now I needed to-

RESTORATION

-go back...

FUNCTIONALITY OF MAIN ROOM WITHIN ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS

BACKUP SYSTEMS WITHDRAWING

COMMENCING FULL RESET

RELINQUISHING MAIN ROOM CONTROL

Then I woke up back in my body.

"Relax, child, I gave you my word that you'd be safe."

Seeing through my own eyes again, I realized that there were many things I missed when I opened my eyes to my own body being controlled by the Emergency Room.

The first, and probably least important was that I was in so much pain that I couldn't even think straight. Putting it mildly, that would have been bad if I didn't have a room, one of the many partitions of my mind, programmed to keep me alive. It was a more extreme version of the enchantment that filled away the sensation of pain, and more than just ignoring a certain sensation, it allowed a subconscious part of me -as in _substitute consciousness_ rather than the real repressed subconsciousness- to take over and perform certain actions if ever my conscious mind were to stop under... less than acceptable conditions.

Though the fact that it activated at all was worrying, having it in place helped me clear my thoughts just a little bit faster, at least enough for me to open bleary eyes and survey the world around me.

I didn't expect to greet the leader of the Khaos Brigade when I sat up from the crater my body made, but I should have.

I really should have.

"You look hurt, Son of Phenex." Her words, power unbridled colored by a touch of childish amusement, snaked its way into my ears in the way only her voice could. "I had thought you were more than powerful enough to handle my Light, but it looks like I was mistaken."

Normally, I would be smarter and kowtow to the woman who had the world under her thumb. I would act with the poise of a member of Demonic Nobility and gather information like I was supposed to do when confronted with an unexpected situation. I knew I had her cooperation, if not her outright favor, and Dragons were much too prideful to blatantly lie, therefore there was no need to worry about my own well being.

And I wasn't worried...

At least, not about me.

And I would have to admit that influenced my thinking, or rather my lack thereof.

"Why?" I all but spat, my own power flowing from my body until the air itself threatened to burst into flames. I was confident that I would be able to bring even someone as strong as Sairaorg to his knees with my aura alone, but it was not surprising that Ophis didn't even blink. "Why do you interfere when ultimately you are the one who benefits most from our arrangement? Their sound defeat here is a vital step to ensure that we are able to search unimpeded, but why do you still insist on ruining that?"

Ophis stared at me with cold, almost uncaring eyes while her expression could perfectly suited the void she once ruled.

"You feel that I have betrayed you." She spoke, her tone even and without inflection while the terrible strength of the void dripped from every word. "I have not. My oath to you was that you would live, and you have lived despite being consumed by my own power. Are you not standing before me? Though hurt, are you not alive? Or has age so blinded me that I can no longer tell between the human world and the Realm of the Dead?"

I couldn't speak.

I didn't dare to when I finally reined in enough of my anger to think; just because she was willing to put up with a bit of disrespect from me didn't mean such insolence didn't have consequences. I was absolutely livid, but under all that rage -at the idiots who thought this was a good idea, at the Dragon who seemed to be so bored with everything, at myself for not even _thinking that this was a possibility_ \- I was worried.

Ophis promised me that she would see me alive by the time the Beast had been found. It went without saying that Valerie was included in that deal, since even in canon, it was the Holy Grail that allowed the Son of Lucifer to Greatest Monster in Creation.

Everyone else was fair game.

"And-" A finger rested on my lips and silenced any words I still had.

I didn't even feel her move, let alone see it.

"Focus on me child. The World will wait." A child's hand cupped my face, and just beyond the visage of Infinity I could see that, indeed, the rest of the world had ground to a halt. The Prince of Hosts, the New Satans, or the Scapegoat were not spared by the force that stilled the world for if they were then they would be making their presence known instead of leaving me to my fate. "Death is a confusing thing, is it not? The Eternal End, brother to Slumber, and kin to stillness and silence. It is almost a shame so few know how to wield the Gaze of Lesser Death."

Worst case scenario, one I didn't even plan for, came to pass.

I wasn't even surprised at that point.

"The Prince Dhampyr is only a child and aside from the foul blood in his veins, he still has the body of a Devil. Your blessing will be his end, either after he is drained of his strength-" There was only one way for Gasper to even come close to freezing Sirzechs, Serafall, Azazel, and Michael for even a moment. If he could hold them still for as long as he already has then he was as good as dead unless the Infinite had other ways of bestowing her strength. If he wasn't dead already. "My Bishop will not be pleased and I don't think I'll be able to train another should we be forced to relieve her of her position."

Her lips trembled, halfway between a smile and letting out a patient sigh.

"I know this; My power would have consumed his soul had I granted him the fullness my blessing, at least if he had no aid." Her hand patted my cheek patronizingly even as a skittish smile graced her lips. "The child is alive, together with his peer, and the rest of your brood. All except the Cup Bearer are frozen, but all of them live. It's hardly fair that I offered you a boon and neglected the Cup Bearer when both the master and the servant are equally important to me."

 _Thank the stars._

If Ophis wasn't holding me by the face, I would have slumped onto the floor in exhaustion. In that moment of perfect relief, all the rage and hate in my body was snuffed out and whatever kept me standing, even after Ophis had her underling freeze time and me tank that Satan-killer, just faded away. I could feel my face relax under her soft touch and when I finally regained the nerve to face her again, I noticed that she wasn't exactly confused at my reaction; if anything her smile was just a little bit wider.

If I didn't know that she wasn't emotionally dead, I would have been shocked.

"You are most kind, Goddess of Dragons."

"Hardly, my debts will be repaid and my word kept." She looked like she wanted to scoff but thought better of it. "But enough of that for now; amuse me, Son of Phenex. Show me once more the mind that managed to enthrall this Goddess of Dragons. Reveal the things hidden from even my eyes. How would you interpret my presence here?"

There was no time to question why she wanted to do something like this now, so I did what was asked.

"You allowed this certain excursion, to weed out the weak perhaps." The slight upturning of her lips bid me to continue. "The Old Satan Faction was rotting as soon as they tasted defeat during the Civil War. Even if Rizevim is powerful enough to match both Lucifer and Beelzebub, the ones currently in power are leading the Devils towards a new Golden Age instead of spurring them faster into Oblivion. If anything, they were always fodder in your eyes; spare troops to serve as distractions that would either end themselves at your command or due to their own foolishness You may think that, as a whole, they have no place in the new world, or serve no purpose if you are forced to combat the Beast. Incidentally, this may be a reason why you overlooked Rizevim together with the rest of our ilk, even now. He is only indolent for the moment, time will come when he will once more enter the spotlight."

"Believe me, Son of Phenex. I know what your kind are capable of; Still, your warning is heard unnecessary as it may be." She looked at me with eternal pools instead of eyes, the silvery starburst sky within them threatening to just drown me in their depths. "Why would I allow them to stand in they way of this Union?"

That... that was a very good question.

"I don't think you wanted them to disrupt the Alliance more than you did to galvanize the Three together. Whatever they do now, they, or we as the Three Great Factions, are not of great concern." Her eyes narrowed, not dangerously, but in quiet contemplation. "Soon enough, either you manage to achieve your goal and regain the Silence you wished for or the Beast awakens and the world has to unite to face him or be destroyed. Working with them, us, from the beginning and sharing your true goal, was always an option, but if I see it correctly, you are using the conflict with them as an excuse to send those that would betray you to their deaths as well as refine those who have strength and allow them to reach new heights. This false war is a crucible for your chosen, and while there will be those who die, they will not matter to you. Those you favor and those you trust can rely on your hand protecting them while those against you will die by the hands of your foes or by your own. The Three, and all those allied with them, gain strength as they kill your enemies and those you save will continue to grow as well, which will only improve the odds of survival if the worst came to pass and the End comes. Of course, this requires a careful hand as well as reliable servants to direct others when you cannot, but I know your reach is far and there will be little that escapes your notice should you pay enough attention."

Her hand finally left my cheek and the Goddess who looked very much like a child ruffled my hair in the way I would my own niece.

"You amaze me still, little one." The grin she wore was one of satisfaction, and if I wasn't mistaken, you could see some pride there if you squinted. "Let's see if you truly are omniscient; why would I force Time to Still and strike you with a blow meant to fell your betters, when I promised that Death would not take you?"

That question made me pause, of course it would since it was the very question I threw at her just a moment ago. More than the others, this was what forced me to think, and now I didn't have the luxury of having a prepared answer.

Why did she freeze me in time when I was about to dodge something that would have reliably killed Azazel, Michael, Sirzechs, and Serafall combined? She promised she would save me if ever anything that truly threatened my life so why be the blade she promised to protect me from? Why engineer my death when her pride demanded that she overturn it in the end? Hell, why interfere in the last station of canon in the first place, when I was literally working for her?

There was one thing I knew: she didn't intend to kill me with whatever that suicide snake explosion was. But that didn't answer the question. If she didn't want to kill me, then maybe...

A soft tug brought me back to the present. The world's strongest active dragon was many things, but apparently she wasn't as patient as I had hoped.

"It is my opinion that you meant to test me. Though the blast was powerful, it was never meant to kill me or any of the other Leaders. Maybe the same for this entire situation." Well, if it looked like she wouldn't stand my silence then I should a least hazard a guess. "To see how I would react; to see if I would turn on you the moment I awakened or if I would trust that you would honor your promise. I will admit failure on some level, for my own rage was blinding but now that I see clearly, these others are made known to me. You may have also wanted to test whatever underlings you brought, to see if they were strong enough to contain and control your power, as well as Still four of the most powerful members of the Three Factions, assuming they are maintaining the Magic you put into effect. Congratulations, Goddess of Dragons; you have found worthy servants."

Ophis looked at me.

If time wasn't already standing still, I could swear that for that moment, there was no one else in all the world but her and me.

And wasn't that a sobering thought?

"You taught me that." She finally spoke, her hand leaving my head as it reached into the folds of her dress. I tried not to think about _how_ she could do that when there was barely anything covering her child-like body in the first place. "Though you are strong, you surround yourself with children and muster effort to uplift them. If you can see further than I, then why not imitate you in that regard? I am pleased to see that you agree with me in this, and I will admit that I am pleased to see how the other children under me have grown."

"I am glad to be of service." With my head free of her touch, I was allowed to respectfully bow. "I must apologize; though I have received your boon, my searching has been limited given the circumstances. I ask for your patience as I search for your enemy; I fear that should my possession of the Holy Grail become public knowledge, I would be forced to use it for other purposes. I do not wish to invite your wrath on those who would be my in-laws, as troublesome as they may be."

"I have waited since the dusk of creation to face the Beast once more. I wish to avert the destruction of the world; I wish that I never again see that Monster, but Dreams are often as just as troublesome as reality. I trust that you will show me the fallen form of my foe before he awakens from slumber, for I fear what may come to pass if I am forced to do battle with him again." From her sleeve, she produced a familiar orb, one as deep green as the forests yet held the heart of a dying star within. "But should Destiny prove cruel, I need all my servants at the height of their power and to that end I trust you with this. Return the fragment to the child that she may finally begin undoing the chains that bind her."

"I hear and obey." I took what I took from Ddraig back from the Goddess. "And what are your plans for the White One? Do you wish to test him and his companions against me?"

Ophis grinned.

I fought back the urge to shudder.

"My servant is... displeased with how the Vanishing Dragon's host has been acting, so you will be his sentence. His fate is in your hands." She waved her hand. I thought it was a gesture of dismissal, but the world behind her opened to reveal the Dimensional Gap in all it's alien glory. "What happens now, how to take your vengeance and that of my servant's, is up to you."

"And if the White One dies?" Albion should be useful since Azazel can't protect him after this. No one should complain when I rip him out of the grandson of Lucifer.

"You can try, but if I recall correctly, my servants never swore an oath to you and yours." Her smile was vicious. She knew exactly what she was doing to me but with how nonchalantly she turned around and walked into the colorful void, it was obvious that she didn't care. "The White One is young, but his cunning is as sharp as his claws. He would not face you, as powerful as you are, without trickery. He is still a child after all, and children tend to be sore losers. I'll give you some time to think, have Fun."

The Gap closed violently and the resulting flare of power and light flung me back, even deeper into the crater the Fallen Leviathan flung me in.

It didn't hurt, not like it did when Katerea sacrificed herself to try and kill me, but Ophis had more then enough power to casually undo my body's regeneration and slam me into the ground. Again, it wasn't something meant to really kill me; she was probably worried about having the Leaders suspect if I emerged from the crater no worse for wear, so I just filled it away for now.

Ophis gave me free reign to do what I wanted, and right now, I wanted to make the boy pay for even thinking about threatening my girls.

My _sister._

* * *

"Show me the power of the Weakest Dragon Emperor before I grind you into the dirt!"

When time finally resumed, the first thing I heard when I got to my feet was a doomed boy heckling at one he thought so far below him. A quick scan revealed that this was a battle that would not be interrupted, a perverted caricature of the rating game; a true death match. The Demonic Power of Creation and Destruction, The Pure Glory of Heaven, and the Beguiling Light of the Fallen, though combined were as good as nothing compared to the Infinite and though the Dragons and I were allowed agency, they remained frozen in time.

That was good, it would be for the best that they didn't see this.

On the other hand, maybe Ophis was fond of throwing people around if she knew they could handle it.

Casually, I tossed the fragment of the Boosted Gear towards the boy and predictably Vali did nothing to stop the jewel from reaching the red arm of the dragon.

His helmet turned to me, the power he prepared to unleash now directed at my battered and burned form, but there was uncertainty in the air. From the way he stood, far above me and fully prepared to reduce everything in the area to nothing, I could see that the traitorous vine that choked the life out of warriors had taken hold. Doubt crippled him only for a moment, but I only needed a moment to summon my Flame.

There was a final flicker of power before the onslaught began, and as the Vanishing Dragon's Chosen gave his all in an attempt to end me I couldn't help but marvel at what he had produced.

The pillar of power he sent at me was massive, the attack itself an imitation of my own Kancho in the way that it devoured everything in its path and increased its own power as it moved forward. Augmented by the Dragon who stole from all to feed himself, it was a frightening technique, especially since there was almost no limit to how much such an attack would grow when it was guided by Albion. I was under no illusion that, of those present, only Sirzechs, Michael, and Azazel would have survived the united efforts of Albion and the Grandson of Lucifer. It was flattering that he copied one of my own spells after I burned him with my Unfinished Blade, but the power to this strike was at a level that it would prove lethal even if it was used in a Rating Game. I looked down on the boy, but even I had to admit that if I fought him the day I had to fight Rias, some of my girls might have died...

It reminded me of another technique like it; a nosy firework of a dying ember.

There was only one real reply to that.

"Slash and Burn," I flicked my wrist twice and laughed at an untold joke. "Joke Series."

I didn't even need to swing seriously to feel secure in my counterattack.

The blade of flame I wielded, once just a solid silver hilt when I burned him alive, flickered away to reveal just how little it grew. From a simple silver bar, it had grown to sport the makings of a cross guard, though the ends seemed to have been twisted and ruined beyond recognition. On the back end, the pommel was deformed and ugly, as if it was crushed and someone had tried to mold it into shape before giving up and snapping about a forth of it off. Unlike the gnarled metal that made the guard, the end was jagged but smooth, like the fragment of a blade that was left attached to the naked metal hilt. It was this broken weapon, sporting no longer than an inch of shattered blade, that met the desperate attack of a Heavenly Dragon Emperor.

And as one would expect, the inch of blade parted the blast as easily as withered stalks before a scythe.

I didn't even _need_ to cut twice.

Broken as it was, a weapon of the Gods was something of immense power. Even if Albion would have been able to stand against once upon a time, Vali could not and for that he suffered the consequences.

It was that weakness that allowed a broken blade to cut into the pillar of power like it was nothing, that even with Albion's power united with his own, their light couldn't absorb a sliver of flame faster than it burned through the beam. Not to mention when two of them fired at him, he was totally unable to handle one.

The perfectly cut halves were sent to the side by the sheer pressure of my own slash, and the twin blades of flame each as only wide as a hair's breadth were sent speeding towards the boy with impunity despite its size. He was lucky that the wings that lifted him up were not his own, that only the wings of light sprouted from his back, or else my blades would have taken them as easily as they sheared through Divine Dividing's base form. I would admit that his strike was fast, despite the hesitation that stopped him from immediately going for the kill, but I doubt he even saw my swing before I clipped his wings.

Vali was definitely surprised, it was obvious in his face when his Scale Mail was dispelled, but to his credit, he managed to call forth his wings once more before he fell too far. I allowed myself a small smile when he began looking at me with a bit more trepidation, especially as I started to allow the various wounds I received from the thousand two-bit mages, the wanna-be Leviathan, and Ophis to heal. I thought I imagined a twinge of fear on his face when I emerged fully restored in less than a moment, ready for battle with a taunting smirk on my face.

"One." The word rolled off my tongue, a tone of amusement belying the incandescent rage I felt against the boy. "Two more strikes."

It would be all to easy to just jump in his face and rip Albion from his back, but there was a problem with that approach, it was just that.

For the crime of threatening my fiancee, my peerage, _my family_ , Vali would not be granted the mercy of an easy death.

There was also another reason, and we'd get to that later.

"You should have just killed him, you know?" I spoke almost casually as I twirled the broken blade in between the fingers of one hand while the other pointed at the boy who numbly clutched the jewel. "I don't know if he would have put up a fight and you'd have saved yourself a whole world of trouble if you did."

Vali allowed himself to send Issei, who seemed to have lost consciousness standing still, a sideways glance before summoning the Scale Mail around him once more. It was as if he was dismissive of Issei and more afraid of me, but I knew just a little bit better. As proud as Vali was, fear, unless it was of his Grandfather, stopped being a factor in things and for that he had my begrudging respect. He was probably more worried that he would have to fight both of us at the same time, not because it was a fight he would lose, but because his allies, waiting in the wings, would deem it necessary to intervene if things continued to escalate.

I would continue pretending that he was actually afraid though, it satisfy that wrath that begged me to grab his face and-

Let's just throw that into another Room for now.

"But where's the fun in that? I want to see his face when I take everything he holds dear... but maybe you'll do for now." Vali's voice was strong and out of his wings, his power began to flow anew, but I knew very well who would win this fight. If Ophis' power wasn't enough to kill me, what chance did he have when he refused her blessing? "You claim the blood of a Marquis while the blood of Lucifer himself flows in my veins. Katerea was weak if she needed the help of a snake and to sacrifice herself just to wound you, I simply needed to aim. I don't know where you got your new strength, but I appreciate the show before moving on to the main event."

I could feel his meager presence fill the courtyard, and though it was something at the level beyond a normal High Class Devil, it was so far from Ophis' terrible Majesty that it was almost nothing to me.

My laughter came unbidden as Vali once more summoned his demonic power to his fists and the armor of Albion began to glow a merciless white. It only grew to a roar when he flung his strength at me, twin bolts of energy that I could swear was the Light Bearer's own radiance and they exploded on my form with all the force of a plane crashing into the earth. It began to die out only as his light faded and the dust began to settle, revealing the smile that refused to be wiped from my face and a Heavenly Dragon slowly beginning to understand what he challenged to a fight.

Vali, as arrogant as he was, had some measure of intellect; that was the only reason he didn't just throw himself at the Great Red after agreeing to serve under Ophis.

"It's adorable how much you Dragons value your pride, especially when it's unearned." I made it a show to wipe the tears that threatened to form in my eyes. I don't know if they were caused my the upturning of dust or I was laughing that hard, but in the end it didn't really matter. " That was Two, by the way. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be the one dealing with you, child. I'm just here to clean up the mess."

It was Vali's turn to flash a disbelieving grin.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" He was in hysterics, but my own grin simply grew wider. "Who else is going strike me down: the Fools still frozen in time, the little boy so taken by his fear, you? Ophis allowed me a full day free from your soft, foolish, and weak leaders. That weakling is the least among those who wielded the Boosted Gear, and he can do nothing against me, the Greatest White Dragon Emperor. I had thought more of you since you wounded me with that cowardly strike, but it looks like you are as simple as your name implies. What was it again, a _Fried Chicken_? Are you going to feed me to death, when you're as good as dead? I was hoping to save my full power for the boy, but if you insist on resisting, I might have to start fighting seriously."

If I was a lesser man, I would have taken my broken blade to his neck right then and there, but that wasn't my role. Well, technically it was, but someone had first dibs. Like an older brother chiding a younger one, I drew a breath, closed my eyes, and released a deep, tired sigh. He didn't seem to like that, but the fist he threw found itself embedded in my hand, a stalwart barrier against a blow that would have easily killed even a High Class Devil with the aftershock alone.

I didn't even need to look to block his blow, or imagine the surprise and fear creeping on the face behind the white helmet.

"Three."

That's when I released the fullness of my power, the strength I had been working since the beginning to achieve. I didn't want to expose my full strength so early, especially when I couldn't control it as well as I should have, but it did its work. It wasn't an attack, it wasn't a directed effort, or even an overly hostile one; I simply allowed the power that was coiled tightly within me to fully expand and make itself known to the world and that was enough to terrify the Greatest White Dragon Emperor into stillness and silence, if only for a moment. Fight or flight kicked in immediately after, and as fast as he closed the distance between us, Vali fled from me like a bat out of hell.

I allowed myself a small smile when I opened my eyes and with my open unblemished palm still up, I spoke to the boy who was suddenly twice as high as he was before he threw that laughably weak punch.

"Throw a rock at him."

I couldn't help but laugh as Vali's expression... just gave up. His face was pulled taut into a blank mask by the sheer amount of emotions fighting for a place; he couldn't decide what to feel at that point that his face decided to reveal nothing at all.

"What?"

"Take a stone, or what have you, and throw it at the boy." I pointed at Issei, who until now hasn't seemed to have moved a millimeter, despite it being clear that he wasn't affected by Ophis' lingering spell. We could tell, for one, because he was colored normally, unlike the others who were tinted dark by the Time Stop. "I'm asking you to use a stone since you need all the power you still have for what comes next."

"You... you're telling me about a trap." He stated, far too done with this conversation. We both knew it was a trap, but we also knew that if we continued to fight, he would be the one ground into the dirt and that was an outcome he desperately wanted to avoid. "And you expect me to walk into it? On purpose?"

"As far as I can see it, I could always spring it myself, but that wouldn't be as fun." I shrugged. "Don't worry, as aggravating as you are, you don't have to worry about me. At least not yet. Spring the trap or not, I'll be the one ripping Albion out of your cooling corpse, but I don't think that I'd be the one killing you."

"Do you take me for a fool?" The fact that he just shouted and didn't come in for another punch or throw a blast showed that he was scared. When a battle maniac starts to look for escape routes, you know that you're winning the fight. "First you strike from the shadows, now you expect me to spring a trap knowingly! This offence will not stand! **I, who am about to awaken, am the Heavenly Dragon who has taken the Principles of Supremacy from God!** "

Wow, Juggernaut Drive, and without Albion telling him to stop as well. I guess that was the logical conclusion of this display; if his Power to Divide was exceeded by a tiny fraction of my power to Burn, even when he had Balance Breaker activated, then the his ultimate form was his only chance. He would be tired, battered, and burned after, but he had enough power to activate it without draining his lifespan and he might actually have a shot at tying with me if Albion helps Vali without reservation.

Hell, if Abion truly granted Vali everything the way Ddraig did Issei, coupled with the fact that the Grandson of Lucifer was filled to the brim with powerful emotions, there was a real chance that he could actually win against me. There was a significant chance of defeat if I fought a fully committed Albion and an emotionally supercharged Vali.

At least, if I was fighting alone.

"We can't have that, now can we?"

 **[VALI, DIVE!]**

It was a miracle that he managed to lose altitude fast enough to avoid the shockwave that could have easily taken his head, but I believe that was more Vali being allowed to dodge than it was Albion finally speaking up. It was a shame I couldn't see the look on his face when he finally turned around, but the way I could see him shiver despite his armor was indication enough that he knew just how badly he handled the situation.

"I must congratulate you, little one. You scared this child so much that he ran to his mother. You didn't count on one thing, though." Ddraig was as magnificent as ever, and despite this being a battle to the death she only wore the red silk dress she appeared in when I first saw her human form. Her hand was outstretched, a single finger still smoking, and when she looked down on the poor boy, her smile was something only a mother could wear. It was that bright, cheerful, absolutely radiant visage that never fails to remind you how completely fucked you are. "I've adopted fools before."

 **[Y Ddraig Goch...]** The horror in Albion's voice was as palpable as Ddraig's own sadistic joy. **[The Seals of the Sacred Gears are too powerful, if I have not made much progress, how are you free?]**

"Still ruining my fun after all these millennia, Albion Gwiber, brother dearest?" The dragon in human form laughed, a sweet and vibrant sound instead of a requiem heralding the death of the Grandson of Lucifer. "Your host declared his intent to kill my whelp's _Domina_ and his _Sire_ , so as the former here I am. This is between me and the child who holds you, so would you be a dear and _let me kill HIM!_ "

The last word was accentuated my a wave of fire called into being as Ddraig took her still outstretched arm and let it fall. The flames the Dragoness called were orange, and though they weren't exactly the hottest, or the loudest, or the largest flames I've encountered but they were blindingly fast. I could barely make out the expanding inferno as it crashed into the ground; it was like there was fire at the end of her hand one moment, and it had immediately covered the distance between the heavens and the earth as soon as Ddraig's arm reached her side.

I was lucky I had my own barrier in place when Dragon Fire slammed into the earth and spread like a tidal wave of vermilion. Invisible flames from the broken blade were guarding my form and protecting me from the worst of it and I was unfortunately acquainted with the terror of Dragon Fire. Like the floods that follow the monsoon rains and ravage valleys, the blaze showed no signs of going anywhere after the initial strike, the flames continuing to burn hungrily even if there was nothing left to consume but the enchanted ground. When I set the sky ablaze, it required some conscious effort to keep the hurricane of fire going and keep the flames from taking the lives of those mages immediately, but the Dragon Fire persisted through the Stopped Time and began eating away at the earth itself.

Ddraig didn't even look winded.

 **[Be careful Vali. Even if Ddraig only possesses a hundredth of her full power, you are nothing to her.]** It was a miracle that Vali was unscathed if I could barely react to that attack. Still, from the tone of Albion, the Vanishing Dragon didn't want to push their luck. It was clear that the strongest White Dragon Emperor could not stand against the might of the Red Dragon and that left them with only one option. **[We must flee and live to fight another day.]**

"And aren't you the best at using that tactic, brother mine?" Ddraig, from her place on high, prepared her fire, shaping her draconic power and forming it around her upper back. Her wings emerged, a pair of massive sails which looked more armor then membrane when fully spread dispelling the fire with such force that I felt the aftershocks bluster around me. "Go ahead then, try to run, but do remember _why_ we're so evenly matched every time we fight..."

Vali did bother listening to the words of the Dragoness and just booked it.

Now canon said that Divine Dividing could grant speed close if not equal to the speed of light, but watching Vali as he fled with all his power, I could breathe a sigh of relief that it was false. Sure, he was fast, much faster than the human eye could see at such close range, but with everything I've been through, he was much slower than I expected, even if he was blasting massive beams of light and demonic power from his wings like some ion overdrive. I guess him managing to reach the end of the school's boundary from the middle of the courtyard behind the school in about a millisecond was impressive, but to me, it was like he was flying at a dandelion's leisurely pace.

And Ddraig...

 **[BOOST]**

She was already there when Vali reached the wall, and she was all too ready to backhand him towards me.

I wasn't surprised at all when he came flying at me at more than twice the speed he was running at, his armor all but shattered except for Divine Dividing itself, and his face sporting a very ugly bruise. He looked dazed, unable to even think after a strike to the head that powerful, and I'm sure the way I caught him by the throat didn't help him in that regard. I held him just so that his toes didn't reach the ground but I used magic to heal his crushed throat and feed the air into his lungs. Even if Ddraig was done with him, I wanted my own pound of flesh for what he threatened to-

"Any more words for me, brother? Any final taunts, any hateful curses, any pleas for mercy?" Ddraig reappeared at my side, her arms crossed and a pleasant grin on her face. With strength that you don't expect from any woman, she placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, forcing me to release Vali before snatched him out of the air. I was sure she undid all the healing I gave him because her she grinned even more when I heard the violent crunch. "How about you, little boy? I thought the descendants of Satans were not so weak as to let a crushed throat stop them from uttering obscenities and promising revenge. Why, when I saw your great grandfather die, I distinctly remember Michael taking his head in grief, and still the Light Bearer died with a final scream. It was morbidly impressive really. Phenex-"

I didn't need to hear the rest of what she was going to say, the fact that she turned and spoke to me was enough of a signal to prepare myself.

Not like I needed it when the hidden attacker was within my field of perception since the beginning.

The barrier around the school was no longer ours, but one created by Ophis to maintain the Time Stop and that meant the Descendant of Sun Goku couldn't smash through it as easily as he did in canon. It also meant that he didn't need to, and that made him much, much faster. He sprung from the shadows close to the forests that surrounded the old school building and moved like a lightning strike. Ddraig had only said my name and already the end of his staff was close enough to my face that if I stuck out my tongue then I'd be tasting it. Like Vali's own display, it was impressive, so much so that I understood why Azazel said that they would look good in the same team, but all the same it wasn't something I couldn't deal with.

Case in point: Though was clear that Bikou was fast enough to close such a wide distance and thrust is staff towards my head, he wasn't fast enough to avoid the blade of fire the burned a hole through most of his torso.

The clone, because I knew it was one of those hair things the monkey loved to use, didn't get a chance to dispel itself before I struck down the three others waiting in the wings with a flourish resembling a fencer's salute. I didn't even need to move from my spot to do it, all it took were a few deft flicks of the wrist and blades of flame eviscerated the trio of copies before they could even reveal themselves as strands of hair. Absentmindedly, I took a step to the side and turned with my blade outstretched, just in time to bisect a fourth who thought it was a good idea to raise its arms in an overhead swing before slashing once-

A clone jumped in an attempt to avoid the thin blade of force and flame but before his feet could leave the ground most of his waist was burned away.

-twice-

Another kicked off the ground to attempt a charge but it's head was left behind even as it's body continued to move forward.

-thrice-

The last one actually tried to flee, in a laughable attempt to get me to chase it, but the front and back halves of the clone fell apart mid-turn.

"Oh, never mind." Ddraig smiled gratefully. "I see you have the situation under control. Would you mind dealing with the three... no four pests while I have my fun?"

"Believe me, It would be my pleasure." I banished my blade and cracked my knuckles before taking a lazy stroll towards the old school building.

Behind me, I thought I heard Vali scream.

* * *

It wasn't much of a surprise finding Bikou waiting for me in front of the old school building.

The New Monkey King lived up to his name, his aura casual and as far as I could tell even as his body language spoke of someone greeting an old friend rather than walking into his final battle. His staff, the legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang, could have been mistaken for a cue stick with the way he leaned on it, and if there was a pool table beside him I would have though he was just waiting for me to make my shot with how relaxed the atmosphere was.

"Yo, how's it hanging?" He even spoke to me with the tone one used to talk about the weather, or asking what coffee I was having.

It almost made forget I was going to kill them all.

"Well, between beating up a couple thousand punks who thought they could ruin my day and being forced to tank a blast that could could have downed a Super Devil, I'd say it was alright."I shrugged before jerking my head to the side and enjoying the crackle of of my neck loosening. "And yourself?"

"Meh, someone's been messin' with our plans. Now don't get me wrong, I like the suspense and action as much as the next guy, but as Number 2, I gotta make sure the boss doesn't bite the dust too quickly." He kicked the base of his staff, sending it twirling over his shoulder before he grasped it with both hands and began a series of admittedly beautiful maneuvers. He really suited the roll of Vali's head cheerleader. "We'd be tryin' to pull him out right now, but hey, there's still you to deal with."

"So you're not afraid of what I did to your clones?" I quirked an eyebrow. "It didn't take much to get rid of them, you know? I figured I could easily do the same to you."

"Heh, ya scary in ya own way, but we don't want the boss enterin' his super mode just yet." He took a proper stance, the cheeky grin never leaving his face. "No offence, but the last time he tried, we needed the Big Boss to calm him down so sorry for bein' a bit more scared of her."

"I don't blame you, it's just a shame really." I took a deep breath and released a sigh, expanding my field so I covered most of the school with a relatively weak layer of magic. "We could have been friends."

"I don't really see why that has to change." He relaxed just a bit, not enough to say that he was no longer on guard, but he truly thought that it was possible to settle this without fighting.

They really should have thought of that before personally going in and taking my sister hostage.

"Oh, but it does." I shook my head, surreptitiously glancing to my left and right and marking some positions of interest. "But it's not fair if you don't really know why I'm absolutely livid, so-"

Time was still stopped, a testament to Ophis' immense and probably still growing strength, but time slowed down even more when I turned on my heel to face seemingly empty space on my right.

Then I moved.

The ground didn't have a chance to crumble yet when I found the location of the infinitesimal difference in magical energy. The way magic changed here was almost undetectable; it's magnitude or pressure was the same as that of the rest of the school, the way it reacted to my own power intertwining with the latent energy in the air didn't ring any alarm bells, even the signature at this particular area was predominantly that of Ophis. Though that's what gave it away in the end; for a place that served as one of the cornerstones of the barrier protecting Rias' fortress, I could hardly believe that there was not even a trace of her own energy lingering in the air.

The little girl did too well in erasing my fiancee's barrier and that was her downfall.

I swung a clawed hand at the perfectly empty air, grabbing at the very dimension with a significant amount of magic power and _pulled_.

It took a surprisingly large amount of effort, especially since I had done this a bit more casually before, but the Gap and all its wonder lay open before me and a few feet away, if distance even meant anything in the Void between Dimensions, I spied a pair of siblings who watched my old position with laser focus and no small amount of healthy caution. I allowed a smile to tug at the ends of my lips as I reached out and found that their faces did not intend to twist into an expression of surprise any time soon, and soon enough I had my hands on a little girl who looked shockingly similar to my baby sister.

That was when I found my first problem.

It was my intention to drag her back with me when I returned to my original place before Bikou, but I couldn't do that instantaneously if I wanted her to survive. Sure I could coat her in my own magical power, and this protect her from the massive forces that would be applied once physics and reality take over, but I wanted her to hurt when I pulled her from the safety of her brother and into the cruel clutches of her opponent, me in this case. I wanted her to feel the exact moment when I ruined their seemingly perfect plan and thrust them into a situation I found myself in when they thought it was a good idea to bring everyone instead of just Katerea, Vali, and Bikou.

But I guess I had to settle for just bringing her with me and leaving her unharmed. It would probably scare her, and all of them, more if one moment she was watching me from the safety of Ophis' domain and the next she found herself smack-dab in the makings of a stand-off as my hostage. At the very least, it was much better than just instantly killing her when I moved from here to there; no, a swift death was too good for any of them at this point.

"-here's some visual aid." I completed the sentence as fluidly as one might expect from a great orator, without pause, possessing no inflection, and as smooth as the truest silk.

The only evidence of the fact that I moved at all was the cracked ground where my feet currently rested, and the shocked blonde on her knees as I held her by the hair.

"Not fun when the shoe's on the other foot now, is it?" My words came as casually, even as I threw Le Fay to the ground and planted my foot firmly onto the small of her back. "Now-"

Of course she resisted; as one of the strongest human mages in canon, Le Fay brought all her power to bear in a desperate attempt to strike me down and even I had to admit that it was glorious. Mythologies were united before me, and I could see miracles worked by Angels and Gods, by Valkyries and Einherjar, by demons and those that lurk in the dark being called forth in frantic haste. The Darkness of Devils and the Light of Angels, the pair grew more powerful than Kiba's own blades of betrayal and were hurled at me from all directions as the child grasped a glowing staff and muttered panicked incantations. The Elements were spurned into action and I found myself burning and freezing as lightning tore at my skin and the earth of my bones crumbled away under her immense power.

The wrath of the Fay, the mystic, alien, Wyrd Magics that existed as long as the world itself crept from in-between, from the depths of the Gap itself to try and tear me asunder in all the strange and impossible ways those beings twisted nature itself. Fires that rivaled that of the Red Dragon, more than likely a blessing granted by Ddraig herself, Fires that would easily surpass Amaterasu's sacred blaze, were brought forth to consume me, to burn day and night until eternity was nothing more than a dream.

All these things unleashed in an instant, her magic wrapping us both in a cocoon of destruction, a cacophony of chaos in perfect unity under a mage who had the blood of one of the most powerful founders of modern magic.

Despite all that, my foot didn't move in the least.

Water generally did well against fire, but even planets of the stuff did little against the Sun.

"I don't appreciate being interrupted." I drawled, and with a casual flare of power, I watched as spells beyond my understanding, Old Magic that couldn't be invoked about without the forbidden knowledge granted by beings still beyond me, were simply snuffed like embers before a gale. I allowed a smile to form on my lips as I pushed, just enough to force all the air out of her lungs and keep her from breathing in. I wasn't about to punch a hole through her body, and quite frankly I was beginning to enjoy the way she squirmed as her as her lungs demanded fresh air. "Though where's your brother, I wonder?"

On cue, Holy Light came burst from thin air, rending space itself as it emerged from the gap and hurtled towards me, but even that was consumed by a casual flare of my power. I couldn't say the same for the second wave, a burst of power that could have only come from the immediate vicinity with how sudden the strike was.

It was fascinating to experience how Collbrande, Caliburn, whatever you wanted to call it, took the energy from whatever was in the air -from my magic, to Ophis' residual power, to the essence that emanated from the Gap itself- and threw it at me in an immense pillar of Holy Light. Despite how such energy burned, for I had not yet grown immune to Light's effects, it felt somewhat familiar. It was as if Collbrande consumed latent energy in the air and added the Holy attribute to it before sending it my way in a devastating beam that seemed solely focused on me despite its size.

I was ashamed to admit that it forced me to shift my weight to the other foot, and loosening, if only slightly, the hold I had on Le Fay.

It was even stranger to see how Bikou and Le Fay where spared from the onslaught, the former charging me and utterly ignoring the blast as he tried to thrust Jingu through my skull while the latter took the Holy Magic from the Strongest Holy Sword and used it to keep herself conscious. It was like the attack itself, again despite its scale and potency, was inherently selective; It had marked me for destruction and sought to sear me out of existence and at the same time, it quickened Bikou in his sudden thrust and it seemed to be restoring Le Fay while the moment she was able to let air back into her lungs.

It seemed like Arthur didn't hold the title for Strongest Holy Sword user for nothing; the boy had somehow managed to take Collbrande and channel both it's destructive and restorative attributes in a single attack and though sheer ability able to distinguish friend from foe despite the chaos of his sister's and my own magic.

Now, like I said before, all three were very impressive. The little girl really deserved the props she got if she was able to hurt me enough that I somehow felt it despite my enchantments, Bikou actually made me exert effort trying to find him even if I cut through his clones in single, admittedly effortless, strikes, and Arthur could have easily killed someone like Rias with that one attack, even if they thought taking Vali as a hostage would protect them. If they prepared a bit more, if they were given more time to grow, if they only accepted Ophis' blessing then they would have probably won against me as I was now.

But the again, even if they did all those things, the only thing they would have done was force me to take them a bit more seriously.

Jingu met my forehead, an unstoppable force that endured the Wrath of Gods met a wall of flesh and bone and the legendary measuring rod was stilled even as it tried to extend and expand to its full size. It cracked.

Caliburn appeared behind me, tearing space itself to instantaneously close the distance but as soon as it met the skin of my back, just a few inches away from where my heart should be, the Legendary Sword would not cut any deeper no matter how much power Arthur put behind the thrust. Darkness consumed Holy and the Blade that Chose Kings failed to take the blood of a Marquis' Son.

The Magic returned, and this time it came in a blaze of glory that wouldn't have been surprising if only Ddraig was the only who breathed out the blast, but still, the Lesser Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames would not burn me the way they would not burn her allies. Dragon Fire met Phoenix Flame and the former won.

Despite who they were and what they were capable off, they could do nothing.

I shifted my weight again, dividing it equally between both feet and made a motion to twist. My right hand went in front of me to find the shaft of Jingu Bang and my left when behind to meet the flat of the Sword in the Stone. With the sides of my wrists against the two weapons, I twisted and _pushed._

My hands weren't enough to reach the two but the wind in my palms was too much for them. The force of a typhoon concentrated within a single point erupted from the center of my palm and as I flung my hands fast enough to rip the air with a deafening clap of thunder, the children were flung to the ends of the forest by thunderous gales. Trees were uprooted as they flew away, the ground itself was torn apart by the sheer strength of the wind and dust couldn't even hang in the air as its hurtled towards the end of the barrier Ophis created.

But that wasn't the end of it; in the wake of the storm, in the vacuum I produced by pushing all of the air in the area too far much too fast, I took hold of my magic and _pulled._ The resulting implosion was much more severe, as the things flung away were suddenly called back at twice the speed. What was left of the trees was turned to splinters and then to fine dust and much of everything in a solid thirty meter radius suffered the same fate. The ground beneath me cratered, scattered, and was pulverized and the only reason it managed to return was the fact that I demanded it to.

Le Fay, as broken, torn, and half-buried under the finest sand as she was after the explosion and subsequent implosion under my heel, was alive because I willed it. Arthur and Bikou, the pair I blasted into the air and called back with my magic hung impotently from my hands, helpless and absolutely crushed but breathing because I chose to spare them. The Old School Building was untouched, perfectly immaculate despite the storm because I wanted whoever was in there to know that I was perfectly in control despite the ire that all but consumed me.

"Is that it then?" I asked, and as the pair struggled to muster a reply, I slammed them both into the powdered ground of the artificial desert I created. "Is this all you have to give? You thought to challenge my honor, attack my Peerage, threaten my _family_ , with just this much strength? **How dare you?** "

I thrust my hand at the Building before me and the barrier around it was peeled away with the ease one would associate with peeling off a screen protector. After the magics came, the wood, the nails, the concrete, the tiles; everything that made up the aged structure exploded in a burst of controlled energy to reveal Rias' two children, most of my peerage, and my sister totally unharmed and still fully affected by Ophis' Time Stop. In the center of what used to be the building's main office, surrounded by the frozen bodies of the children I came to save, was the mastermind of this entire operation.

Kuroka looked mildly impressed, but I would have been disappointed if she was anything but smug. A glance told me that once again Ophis didn't lie, the SSS Ranked Devil was the one who froze Valerie.

 **"Let them go."** My words were thunder. My eyes were fire. My will was the storm and my command was as immutable as the rising and setting of the sun. I was, for all intents and purposes, a god in the body of a devil and she would listen to my demands, or she would die.

"And my own children?" Her voice was sweet, uncaring, almost dismissive, the perfect combination for one who saw everything going according to her plan. "What will their fate be?"

 **"It depends on how quickly you obey me, wench."**

"Mind your tongue, Prince of Phenex, we are allies in this whether you know it or not." Ah, so she thinks that just because I worked with Ophis, I would spare her from this insult? Well, then she was in for a rude awakening. "I don't think you want to know the gap between the power she offered and the power I _took._ "

It was a bluff, it had to be. She couldn't have possibly...

No.

This was not a time for worry, not when I came this far.

I took a step, in between moments, in between the steps and heartbeats of time, I took a step towards one of the most feared Devils in recent history.

"You do not want to test me again." And watched with apprehension as she closed the distance between herself and my sister.

She was faster.

Senjutsu was _unfair._

I knew simple math, between the meters I had to cross to get to her, she needed to eliminate just one to get to any member of my peerage. It didn't matter if I was twice, or thrice her speed, I needed to be at the very least a hundred times faster than she was now, and I didn't think I could manage that if she could match me when I struggled to hold back. If I beat the three with one percent, then I was most definitely pushing ten now, and I needed ten times more speed if I wanted to safely kill her before she managed to kill my sister.

I was trapped.

So I needed to try a different avenue.

 **"Kill her then."**

A beat.

"Excuse me?" Kuroka, the SSS class threat, a Devil so powerful that not even Sairaorg was sent to deal with her, was surprised.

" **Go on, kill mine** **, then I'll finally have a reason to kill yours."** I could feel a savage grin spread across my lips, one unbidden and definitely not pretty to look at despite my admittedly good looks. **"What would I do to her first I wonder, if I demand her from Rias as compensation for whatever you do to my sister? How willing would Lucifer be if I could tie poor, little Shirone-"**

"Calm down, Riser, no one needs to get hurt." Despite her words, her serenity and sincerity, the power of the Sages burst forth from her form. I had heard rumors before, about Senjutsu and how powerful Touki was, but watching as her aura alone sought to repair all the damage I caused, and _passively at that_ , made me pause for a bit. More than the strength of the Earth, that of the Leylines, and my own power, she had the Might of the Gap. She could somehow wield energies I thought only Ophis could and that was enough to make me pause. At least until anger took full control once again and I unleashed my own presence in response, and somehow matched her tit for tat. "Vali would be properly chastised by now, so all that's left is to swoop in, rescue him from the clutches of Lady Ddraig, and we'll be on our way."

 **"This insult will not be borne without retaliation."**

"You can do whatever you want with me after this mess is all cleaned up." She spoke, almost seductively as our powers wrestled to get an upper hand. It was vexing to admit but even if I could output more raw power, her mastery over Senjutsu was enough that she could match my strength by _consuming_ it while she pressed on. To do so, to take so much _hurt and anger and hate_ , without so much as flinching was more than impressive. Usually, I would have been glad to see that I could match what she took from me, the layline, and Ophis at the _same damn time_ but all I could do was match her, and I wasn't going to risk mutually assured destruction by ramping up. "Ophis demands both Heavenly Dragons, and after this, Albion himself, if not Vali, will soon approach her, more than likely to gain power."

 **"He will not,"** I ground out, and really this is one of the reasons why I hated this plan, and this flimsy excuse. **"The boy is arrogant, brash, impulsive, he will not beg your mistress for her strength just because of one defeat. He is not so easily cowed as to crawl on the ground and prostrate himself just because he did not get his way."**

"You underestimate the terrible Majesty of Red Dragon Empress." She said plainly, almost sighing, but I would not know if it was one of exhaustion, exasperation, or relief. "I will be your recompense, just release the Trickster, the Chosen of Ddraig, and the Chosen of Albion. Or do we have to do battle here and guarantee the misery of all involved."

I could see it play out in my head.

She could match me in terms of speed at full power but surpass my control, especially now that I had so very little of it. I would surpass her in power and endurance therefore winning in the end, but I would be winning a battle and a war with losses I was not, and I would never be, prepared to take. I would thrash about and I would crush all before me and I would grind everything to dust, but only after she kills my sister and by then everything will be for nothing. She didn't think I willing to avenge her, not when there was a method to save her, but even if I was, she was most definitely prepared to sacrifice her life, her very being, to make sure I was hurt after this whole ordeal.

Neither of us had anything to lose if this ever battle began, a terrifying parallel to the two dragons battling somewhere within this barrier.

"And what about all this?" I wouldn't take that gamble, and she graced me with a grateful smile when my words lost its edge.

"The Barrier will release the Leaders and all else still affected by Her Power once I close the scattered Gaps." She assured me, taking a few steps towards her sister, who sat as far away from mine as the room allowed, and caressed the little girl's cheek. "It was much better than the first plan proposed: who knows what could have gone wrong if we used Forbidden Balor View to stop time instead of Ophis' own power? Yes, we might have given him a snake, but I don't think this little boy is strong enough to channel that much power just yet, and it's much better to freeze him as well."

I almost twitched, the memory of the fairly recent conversation with Ophis now at the forefront of my mind.

Some words of the wise, _Whenever you assume, you make an Ass out of You and Me._

"And my compensation?"

"Oh, and are we feeling a bit excited?" She waggled her eyebrows but all she got was a growl. "Seek Lady Ophis and she will arrange it, I swear to you upon the honor of a race that barely exists. I'll be waiting~"

"That doesn't reassure me in the least."

"And who do you think is to blame for that?" With a last longing gaze at her little sister, Kuroka, The Most Powerful Stray Devil if Rizevim isn't counted, offered me a last bow and a sultry smirk. "We shall meet again Phenex, much sooner than you think."

And with that, she was gone, like she was never really there.

I could barely process her sudden absence when all the destruction I caused was undone right in front of my eyes and the entire building reassembled itself from nothing but dust. I couldn't take a single step to go after my sister and the rest of my peerage when time was suddenly allowed to continue marching on. I couldn't even fall to my knees with sweet relief that everyone was fine, and that despite everything Ophis changed, my girls were alive, my fiancee was well, and the Peace had pushed through.

No all I could hear was a Dragoness in the distance, screaming in rage as her quarry was swiped from under her.

Oh boy, this would be fun.

* * *

When time resumed and everything returned to where it once was, it soon became clear that everything meant _everything._

The school ravaged by the magics of a thousand mages, two angry dragons, the Infinite Goddess, and my own power was as flawless as it was when it was first finished. It was one of the first things that greeted me when I exited the fully restored fortress with my peerage, Gasper and Shirone, and Ravel behind me. Of course the two children of Rias as well as my own little sister, were at the center of our turtle formation.

We met no resistance as we stalked the immaculate grounds, and when we finally reached the end of the line, the room where the Summit was to take place, we were met with looks of relief, gratitude, and exhaustion.

I already had my reunion with my sister when time first resumed, and Valerie would not let go of Gasper's hand since we began the tense stroll through the empty school, so Rias' reaction of throwing herself at her children was not surprising. I left them to their own devices, Luna was the one fusing over my own peerage while Rias' own group of ragtag misfits held their own intimate gathering when I turned my gaze towards the Three who stood at the Helm of the Alliance.

It was not surprising to see them alone, just the three of them. It was clear that Michael had sent Irina, Xenovia, and Kokabiel away to inform the Heavenly Hosts while Sirzechs sent off his own wife along with Sera to inform the rest of the Pillars of what happened this day. Azazel, with the grace of his kind, bore the burden of a broken heart with admirable stoicism though it was very clear to anyone who looked hard enough that he wasn't taking his son's betrayal very well. It was Ironic, I thought, that he was the closest thing to what Vali truly wanted in life, and for a fake dream White Dragon Emperor threw away the man who loved the little orphan boy as much as any father would his own son.

Their collectively grim expressions only deepened when I discreetly gave them my report.

The less said about them ignoring Ddraig's wrathful keening, the better. It was very, very strange; as in they didn't even bring up the fact that the earthshaking roar of an angry dragon, a sound so powerful and terrible that children were born as still as stone when it was heard, was just unleashed upon the world. They didn't mention it, they didn't acknowledge it, they didn't even allude to it.

 _At all._

"What happens now?" I asked, genuinely curious. There was no telling what they would do now that they knew that Ophis was active, and more than that she was perfectly willing and able to suppress them on a whim.

"I don't know, this was just too large a mess." Michael put bluntly as he- as everyone seemed to want to disappear into the chairs they sat on. "Never in my worst nightmares was the Infinity so active."

"There is little that can be done if Ophis dared to be this bold, but we will not release our hold in the human world, despite it being where we are most vulnerable." Sirzechs was the one who replied to me, and for once I had no doubt that the Prince of Lies told me nothing but truth. "The parts of the human world held by the Devils is so much more malleable and undefended compared to the territory of the Church as well as other mythologies. I do not doubt that Ophis would be able to have her way with those spaces, but it would take much more time and effort, which should allow us to counter her enchantments before they take hold. In truth, I don't know whether we will be wasting time making the necessary fortifications, it's quite possible she wouldn't be this direct next time she strikes at us."

"I for one would take the necessary precautions needed to stop prevent something like this from happening again. As powerful as Ophis is, she is not so far above us that she would be able to close off an entire section of space if we prepared ourselves to resist her. If that was the case, she would have already turned one of the dimensions into another Dimensional Gap." Azazel was the voice of reason this time, wearing a wry smile that had to be forced as he tried to lighten up the mood. "Even if you call this large scale fortification a waste of time, it would be a good opportunity to research different magics, as well as the efficacy of something like Forbidden Balor View when it comes to defensive applications."

"I would agree with my brother on this, that even if such reinforcement is unnecessary against Ophis herself, having control over the battlefield is extremely helpful." Michael chimed in, half hopeful and half, as strange as it was, proud. "A theater-wide enchantment, even if it's just to prevent other similar enemy magic, can easily be converted into other spells should the need arise. Heaven has several such Grand Miracles in play, one of the most known being the Walls and Gates of Heaven themselves, which haven't been breached since the beginning of time. If our Father did record everything in our Great Library, then not even Ophis dared to try to storm those Gates."

"But the System of Heaven is a masterpiece you yourself said was beyond you." Sirzechs interjected, a bit sullenly. It was not as if he wanted to shoot the idea down immediately, but more that he didn't want anyone having any false hope. "I know that you will begin changing or restoring several things that Heaven's Systems have been lacking recently, but to replicate something like the Arrays protecting Heaven is a bit ambitious, isn't it?"

"If anything, at least it gives us a starting point. We know what we need to prevent something like this from happening again, and maybe make ourselves a fearsome weapon. I would say that's worth almost dying and having our asses handed to us by the Infinite." Azazel tried to laugh it off, not bothering to hide his excitement at the fact that maybe he'd have an excuse to go to Heaven again, but there was an undercurrent of worry in his voice. Worry that was made clear when he continued. "What I'm most worried about is Ophis herself moving for something like this."

"If I may," I receive a nod from all three to continue. "She seemed to think that the Heavenly Dragons were important enough to demand personal intervention. Is it, I don't know, safe to keep the boy here, knowing what she could do?"

In the background, a tired Issei was being pampered by my fiance and her Queen and her Bishops, basically her entire peerage. When asked, he replied that all he knew was that Ddraig spoke to him and when he came to, he was with the Leaders in this very room. For all he knew, he was in the courtyard, ready to fight Vali one moment, and the next he was standing before the table of the Three, as if making a report. It was clear that he had forgotten what had happened, or he didn't really internalize the significance of the Time Stop now that Gasper was safe, but such nuisances didn't escape the big three.

"I highly doubt they would strike again, but if ever such comes to pass, I will leave his fate in your hands." The Prince of Lies smiled at me, confusing me with an expression of gratitude as well as a bit of slight admiration. "For some reason, you were the only one left when Time was stilled, and not only did you manage to keep your peerage and your sister safe, you also drove them away; the Greatest White Dragon Emperor, the Newest Sages, and the Descendants of Pendragon. I doubt I could convince him to leave his life here behind, and Rias would take any excuse she could get to avoid coming back home. More than our aversion to admitting defeat, I know she would be happiest here, and I'll be trusting you to protect her."

"You need not protect the boy alone, Son of Phenex. I will ensure that Heaven sends its own contingent, just in case Ophis once more tries to claim the Red Dragon like she did the White." Michael spoke, his confidence not at all offset by the way his eyes seemed to droop. "I will also send someone once we managed to fully test Heaven's Systems. Whether or not we are able to operate it with the same proficiency as Father once did, I will make sure that both the Devils and the Fallen will know immediately. There is one last thing I want to take care of before I leave and begin taking the steps to allow us to repel Ophis."

"Is there really a need to do this?" Sirzechs asked, no longer as the Highest Ranked Devil but as a brother. "We are allies, are we not? What difference will it make?"

"It makes all the difference." Azazel was the one who answered, speaking from millennia of experience. It was not enough that he was older than Sirzechs, but this is a situation he must have thought about very often. "In your terms, this is the equivalent to your Elder Council asking an orphan if she would like her house to be elevated into one of your Pillars. There is fear, there is uncertainty, and there is the unknown, but beyond that there is a promise of prestige, a promise of acknowledgement, and what the little girl wants most of all, the promise of belonging again."

"I simply wish to restore what was once broken, and as you said, we are all allies in this. We lose nothing by welcoming her back and you lose nothing in letting her go." Michael spoke with a tone that brokered no argument. He was always the patron of the sick and suffering, and Asia has been suffering since the plot to have her excommunicated succeeded until the day she eventually died. "The fact of the matter is that we, as Heaven, as the Church, as her Family, failed her. I simply wish to ensure that she wants to be where she is."

"Very well then." Sirzechs was reluctant to risk his sister's bishop leaving Rias' peerage, but in the end he would leave it to her.

It was lucky then, that all eyes returned the table.

I don't know how much the children heard since Ravel was in between Luna's arms and surrounded by my entire peerage, Valerie refused to release her brother, and Issei seemed to still be having a moment is Asia. There were the only others left in the room since Sona and her peerage left with Serafall, which made things much easier for everyone involved.

"Back to the topic we were discussing before we were interrupted, what say you, Asia Argento?" Michael's words were authoritative but gentle, not the words of the Father of Heaven but of the Big Brother who tried his best to watch over the every-growing flock. "Do you wish to remain where you are, or would you like to finally come home?"

Rias suddenly couldn't breath and Akeno, Koneko, and Kiba were quick to come and comfort her. She, and none of them for that matter, would say a word because Asia, as much as they grew to love her, never really had a choice in the matter. More that Michael's authority filling the air and silencing whatever protests they could utter, the knew deep in their hearts that Asia was dead and they made the choice for her given the circumstances.

Asia did not regret it, she never did, but then again she was never given the option to undo it.

My own peerage watched passively, Gasper suddenly among them as Valerie scooted over to the space beside my Queen. It was not their place to speak, and though Gasper had come to befriend the nun, he would not say anything either. Sure my peerage would never sell me out or take the option to leave my service and the home life of the two Vampire Nobles simply sucked due to their bloodline, but they would not rob Asia of her choice.

Issei looked to be the only one ready to voice his misgivings, but Asia herself silenced him with a look.

The little girl who so resembled my sister that only Ravel herself was able to strike her down shook off the hand of the dragon and came forward to face the Archangel alone.

Then she made her choice.

* * *

 **AN**

 **This is what was supposed to have followed up what I posted a while back. Again, very much delayed because of real life work (How troublesome is it to get funding from the government? Does it really take forever or do my** **associates just suck at it?) and other things. I've been swamped and through all that, this chapter didn't want to be completed. I had to fight tooth and nail to get it out and now that it's written... well I'm not satisfied but I guess it's alright.  
**

 **Hopefully I answered most if not all questions pertaining to the ones raised last chapter: ie. Why didn't the Leader's do shit? What's happening to Issei? Why does Riser suddenly suck so much? Why is he holding the Idiot Ball and didn't dodge? etc. More stuff are explored here, as well as a lot more changes to what's happening or what should happen in canon. Some arcs are going to be skipped, some brought forward and I'm pleased to announce that the next one would be somewhat new so you all can look forward to that.**

 **It'll be called the Ascension Arc, and I'll leave it at that.** **Also, just a random note, as fast as Riser can think, he's not exactly infallible, he's prone to making mistakes and guessing things wrong despite everything he's gained. He doesn't read people as well as he thinks he does, it's hit or miss really but there are quite a large number of hits, and that will have some major consequences later on. The only, and I mean ONLY, reason he's been playing people as good as he has is because things were in canon territory. Now that we've passed that, people will react... quite differently from expected, especially with all some juicy new things I have planned emerging from the wood work.**

 **Because I wanted not to leave a cliffhanger this time, here are some scenes that I couldn't fit in the main story so I'm leaving them as canon snippets.**

 **That's right, because I am a sadistic person, I'll be leaving SEVERAL. XD**

 **Reading them, as always, is up to you guys.**

 **Shout out to the person who somehow thought it appropriate to insult dear Isabela, for all those to forgot, she's one of the Rooks. I don't know why she deserves to be insulted but everyone's entitled to an opinion.**

 **Enjoy, and see you all, well hopefully you all and more, next time =))**

* * *

"I miscalculated."

Kuroka was not used to hearing the Goddess admit her faults, and why should she, when Ophis was the most powerful being roaming the worlds. What did the greatest dragon, on technicality since the Great Red hasn't done anything since kicking out Ophis from the Gap, have to fear from the coalition of the Three Factions? It's been said that the rest of the Top Ten below her wouldn't be able to leave a mark on her if they clashed, so it was no surprise that she was curious about what had gotten her mistress so anxious.

"I fail to see what troubles you, my Lady." She began, as she always has, respectfully, bending into a deep bow even as they floated through a part of the Gap that eluded the Great Red. "They are but ants before your might, leaves within a storm, and kindling before an inferno. You have nothing to fear from them, and thanks to your blessing, it is only a matter of time before they will fall before the might of your Chosen."

And wasn't that quite a surprise to the Last Nekoshou, that Ophis even offered them a second chance at power.

Like all under her command, the Infinite offered them a portion of her power, the dreaded serpents she would feed to those desperate for immediate strength, and as one who knew intimately how foreign power could affect the mind of any individual she quickly refused. Those with her, for she would never say that they followed her, like the pair Pendragon, the student of the Victorious Buddha, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, the Greatest Demonic Sword Wielder, and even their counterparts, the Bearers of the Loginus would not consume the serpent that could quite easily consume their hearts and minds in turn. She had felt camaraderie with them, for they were wise and they were powerful, two out of the three things she looked for when surrounding herself with allies.

Those who did turn to the serpent for power were marked for death, and they would be fodder for her to dispose of at her leisure. Those who seemed to want to use the Infinite, and what an arrogant thought that was, would die as well, but they were wise and cunning and the Infinite could use them as long as their blades were not aimed for her throat at the moment. But the ones who were willing serve faithfully, the ones like her who were earnest in their goals and did not seek to overthrow the Goddess had a different fate.

The Infinite Dragon Goddess had offered them power, and when she refused, like all the others she was left alone.

When she showed that she was loyal, that she would not betray the Goddess for power, or glory, or just plain stupidity, she was offered a path.

And so when the one who showed her how to manipulate the Energies of the Gap, how to gaze into Infinity and Eternity without flinching, how to reach out, if only to glimpse the heights only the Goddess and the Dream dared to tread, admitted error, Kuroka was most definitely curious.

"The boy, Phenex." The Goddess spoke plainly, without inflection and she immediately understood.

Indeed, the boy was too strong. Kuroka had mustered enough power to maintain the Will of the Dragon Goddess, and while even the Prince of Hosts, the Scapegoat, and the Scion of Lucifer were held still by Time, the Son of Phenex was not. Of course, he was released from the Goddess's grasp, but once he had unleashed his own might, Kuroka found that even with Ophis's own power, she could not hold him. For all the power she had gained studying the Gap, she could only fight the third son of a Marquis on even ground.

And somehow she knew that his strength was incomplete; more so than even hers was.

"And why not crush him then?" She offered. He was a tool as far as she knew, much like she was a maidservant of the Goddess. If she willed it, he would be crushed, despite the power he held and all the potential hidden away with him. "If you so fear him, why not nip the bud before the poisonous flower blooms."

"Because I have tried."

The Dimensional Gap was a wonderful thing, but what was so obvious about it, more than the colors that shouldn't exist, or the powers and auras that were impossible as tasting sight, was the silence.

And when the Goddess gave her confession, the silence grew even more overpowering.

"I admit that it was on a whim, but I struck him once, through that fool Leviathan, and he lived. It would have been much simpler if I had revived him as one of my own." If Kuroka was a lesser being, if she had not been serving under Ophis for as long as she has, she would have thought the Goddess was angry. But the Nekoshou couldn't help but shudder when she found that the Infinite was confused. "Again I tried, when I left him, and I struck with more power that time but still he drew breath. I thought he was lacking, that he could not follow through on his promise, but seeing as he did not die when I wanted it, if only for a moment, I now must reconsider. You will test him again, when you have grown into the strength I have given you."

The Goddess's word was law, and Kuroka could do nothing but bow in acceptance as Ophis left her in the Gap.

"Oh, and wait for the boy; he should be seeking me soon."

A normal being would have been afraid. Who wouldn't be, if they knew that one day, they would be forced to clash with one who endured a fraction of Infinity?

The boy took two blows from Ophis and lived to tell the tale.

She watched him as he played around with Vali, when the boy was serious enough to consider Juggernaut Drive and how Lady Ddraig seemed to acknowledge him as an equal, if only because she was so dreadfully weakened. She was there when he nullified the power of Caliburn, when he shattered a powerful replica of Ruyi Jingu Bang _with his face_ , when he utterly ignored Magic long forgotten and Ddraig's own fire. She was there when he unraveled reality with such precision, such elegance, as if he was channeling the wrath of a storm through the eye of a needle and still he remained perfectly in control.

She was there when he forced her to immerse herself in Senjutsu as deeply as she dared, taking in his own power, that of the leyline, and the Dimensional Gap.

She was there when he matched it effortlessly.

She was there when he forced her to stand down, all the while holding back immense power.

"Maybe he's single?" She whispered to herself, the beast in her blood ravenous for that kind of strength. He was a fellow pawn, as strong as he was, so when they did meet again, maybe she could-

 _"Kuroka."_

That would have to wait. With a will that could take in the impossibility of the Dimensional Gap and not be shaken, she quieted her emotions, her excitement, her arousal, and turned to greet the one who sought her out with a wry smile.

"Vali, what can I do for you?"

It grew ever more catlike as the boy held his tongue and even if he refused to speak she knew that she gained victory the moment he entered her presence.

 _"Where's Ophis?"_

Truly, her Goddess was worthy of her title.

* * *

"Again."

The Princess found herself in the middle of a clearing full of downed children again. The cacophony of their groans and moans were music to her ears for it meant that they managed to remain conscious this time around. The darkness retreated back into her form until the only sign of it ever filling the clearing was a strange mark that wrapped itself around her pale arm.

"Come on, children, one last time." Her master said he enjoyed the irony of the dragon etched into her arm, a mark that would only make itself manifest when she used the fullness of half of her blood; it was a gift given to her by her master and the Goddess who favored him so. They both smiled when she first managed to sink her claws into the darkness and molded it to her will. They said it suited her more than the one who used it before, a being of immense power but one who had long past.

Still they would not move. Did they really have to be that difficult? Did they need to be in immediate danger for them to begin?

Fine; Valerie herself was trained in that manner anyway.

"Again." She demanded, harder this time as the dragon once more tore itself from her skin and called forth the Darkness around them.

Once again noon became night in the clearing, and throughout the entire academy grounds, the light of the heavens was blotted out by an ocean of black. Her hand had become claws, thick with black ichor and dripping with power even as the shadows around them began gliding and swirling from the dome above them and towards the ground like slow falling petals from a dark flower. It was not a darkness of biblical proportions, not yet, but even devils would have trouble peering through her sea of black, and there was no denying the dense pressure the shadows brought to the air, weighing down those around her as if they were dragged to the very bottom of the watery abyss.

Her brother, her sweet little boy, was the one who managed to stand first and like all those times before, everything around him simply stopped.

His eyes glowed with harsh golden light, but unlike before his eyes no longer showed a hint of the beautiful ruby irises he had.

Valerie was stronger, she was the Princess of the Vampires and a Child of Man, now with the power of the Grail she was greater than both that for all her brother's power, he could not manage to halt her like he did the one with contradicting blades or Lady Ddraig's newest chosen. Unlike all those times before, Gasper held strong this time and with sheer force of will he summoned a wraith from his own shadow that somehow seemed darker than the shade she threw over the area. Even if it was but the second time she witnessed him use his power, the fourth if you count all the times it wielded him rather than the other way around, she could not help but admire how ghostly it looked, how truly spectral it was compared to the wet and writhing darkness she called forth.

The Dragon rushed forward, the fluidity of a river accompanied by the crashing of the falls flung itself at the little boy who could halt time and twist space, but even as it ignored the field where time stood still, it could not immediately break through the misty guardian her brother conjured. The gaseous mass, more gathered wisps of mist and cloud than a figure, was surprisingly sturdy against the dragon made by liquid darkness, but like all the times before, the dragon raised its clawed limb, much more tentacle than actual arm, and dispersed the figure with contemptuous ease.

Again, though the shadows of her brother would defend him once, a second strike was more than enough to cast them aside, or worse consume them to strengthen her own creation.

Her brother would never move quickly enough to evade her, he figured that out during the first few training sessions they had even before Lady Ophis, Lady Ddraig, and her Master executed their plan. That fact had not changed, even now that they had been training for a bit over a week, but that didn't stop him from trying. She would not deny he was fast, or that he was strong, but he was not yet at the level where her could defend against her as she sent her watery dragon around him and willed it to squeeze.

His most atrocious flaw was the fact that he had yet managed to control hi Sacred Gear. Though he was a bit more willing to use it under her supervision or in her company, he was never really able to control its great power. Early in the week, he was able to either use it at a level to hinder High Class Devils, but stop everything around them as well, or he could select what he stopped but his target could not even have the strength of Low Class fodder.

The black river that was her dragon once again rendered Gasper useless, the Primordial Darkness that took the form of a serpentine monster once again strong enough that her brother's Sacred Gear could extend it's reach outside the construct's coils and immediately the Knight of her master's bride rushed forward to strike her down.

Valerie would admit that she was proud of that boy, it only took three defeats before he learned to attack the moment her brother was down. It was always just too easy to take out all three of them in one fell swoop, especially since Gasper's lack of control ensured that she was able to split the enemy before soundly beating them. Of the three, he was by far the most adept at combat as well as the fastest learning, but when it came to raw, unbridled power, Kiba Yuuto simply fell short compared to Hyoudou Issei and her little Gasper.

A second serpent, again formed from the darkness that covered the school as a massive dome, slithered from directly above them to intercept his strike. With the speed and grace of striking mamba, it took the Knight's Balance Breaker in its maw, clashing a fully formed long sword against fangs that were merely a tenth of its size, and stopped the blow completely. The knight narrowed his eyes as he called forth another blade, something clear to her since the darkness was hers utterly and completely, but that too was taken by a third serpent. She would have called fourth one into being to deal the arguably the weakest of the three if the strongest among them didn't use the few moments she ignored him to strike.

Valerie respected her master, but she couldn't see why he all but gave up on the boy. Though not as skilled or smart as Kiba, the fact that he had enough sense to close the distance while he was being ignored, even as she made short work of his companions, spoke of decent battle sense. If anything that meant that at the very least he could be taught enough to be competent in battle.

Hyoudou Issei, if ever he managed to learn all the secrets of his Sacred Gear, could even be a force to be reckoned with in time.

Now though, she smiled at him beatifically as she used her wrist to redirect a clawed arm and threw her own claw into his brittle armor. Though the Red Scail Mail was made of Dragon Hide, her claws managed to break through like it was nothing, it was only due to her control that she didn't draw blood despite the strength in her blow. The arm she used to block flew forward soon after, grasping the boy by his bare throat even as the fourth serpent finally came and wrapped its mouth around the head of the disabled knight.

"Slightly better." Valerie allowed a small smile as she gently put the dragon's child down. To his side, the knight was gently lowered to the floor before the snakes made of murky darkness simply evaporated away. Beside her, the massive serpent that she used to disable her brother vanished as the dome above them broke and began to let sunlight once more rule the sky and warm the earth. She gave them each a once over, to see if she had struck them too hard or her darkness took more from them than just their sight, and when she found all was well, she spoke. "What happened this last fight, and how was it different from the other two?"

"Issei and I finally managed to move even after Gasper got taken down." Kiba, the noble knight, was all professionalism and respect when he addressed her. If Valerie were to describe it, it was like she was being recognized as a princes again, and she didn't know what to feel about that since those years were most definitely the worst in her life. "It didn't count for much in the end, but we thought to flank you this time, as well as attack simultaneously."

"Little pup?" She had drawn her brother to her side and when she called him it was more that she pushed him in front of their little group.

"I tried... to-to-to dodge..." Gasper, precious sweet Gasper, began to speak but either it was fatigue or his old habits taking over that he began to stutter and break. She couldn't stand him sad, she couldn't bring herself to hurt _any of them_ even when it came to sparing, not really, but she would continue doing this, and train the other two, because she was ordered to. She would continue training her little brother because he actually requested it. "But... it still... um... it didn't work."

"You'll learn how to multitask in time, hopefully as you learn how not to include your team mates when you freeze everything." He blushed, both with glee and embarrassment as she praised him and rubbed his head. Either he accepted his fate, a big sister will always spoil her younger brother, or he was too tired to wiggle out of her grip, but she didn't really mind either. "Moving with your Gear activated should be easy for you, but controlling both the shadows and time while actively avoiding threats will take time. And you, Dragon?"

"Ddraig says that I'd be able to take your attacks if I trained more." Issei, the innocent -well to some extent- child grumbled like one as he dismissed cracked armor. The fact that the armor was a new manifestation of his Gear rather than a true Balance Break was impressive enough, but he was truly growing into the Dragon's Greed. "I still got caught in Gya-suke's field even if Ddraig said that I could control my power in a way to defend against it. I attacked you and managed to land a hit, but I thought you were Asia for a second and didn't think you were good at fighting. Ddraig also said not to underestimate my opponents, specifically after everything."

Valerie nodded, a bit more than a tinge of pride for them and how far they've gone just after a day of training all together. No one was willing to rest, especially after Lady Ophis's grand attack, and she really didn't want to be here training the peerage of Gremory but she was pleasantly surprised to find that they weren't as bad as she was led to believe. Sure they were still children, but that didn't mean they couldn't learn without proper guidance.

Kiba just needed to rely more on other things rather than to just sticking to his swords and speed. Though he was the fastest of the new knights, Darkness was just a bit -okay not really- faster and the boy was absolutely useless when you managed to get him to hold still. If he had another attribute, like good defense, or maybe stealth then he would be a something scary to fight rather than a one-trick-pony.

Issei was getting advice from Lady Ddraig, which meant the boy was in good hands. He told them what happened, but the effects weren't as bad as her master predicted; case in point, she was given instructions to help him train but it was clear that she was just there to test what Lady Ddraig had taught him whenever he seems to space out within his new armor. She would just fight him again and again, giving him experience and it would be the Dragon who adopted him would would truly be teaching.

Her Gasper was the one she was most suited to train. She could give him the focus she gained by ignoring, and strangely enough eliminating, the voices in her head with her master. She could teach him how to control his own darkness, especially since she managed while her power was fairly new, while she was sure that Gasper had his own brand of shadow manipulation since the day he was born. More than anything though, she would teach him how to be with others, how to work together, and how to communicate, in battle or otherwise.

She had already lost too much time while he grew up, she wouldn't miss any more if she could help it.

"Alright children, your first battle is in about two weeks, and in that time it's my job to make sure you're decent before moving on." She spoke with authority she hasn't used since... well she couldn't really remember the last time she truly had any power. "Take the rest of the day to rest, reflect, and fulfill your other responsibilities and we'll continue your training after school next week."

"YES SENSEI!"

* * *

"Why did you not accept, child?"

Asia woke up in a place that she could remember from a lifetime ago.

The large table to her left was where she learned her letters, for the hymns of the Holy Church, to the prayers to the Angels and Saints, to the sacred text itself. To her right was a carpeted floor, where her brothers and sisters in the Lord played, where she made her first friend, where she first tasted the bitterness of pain, and where she first learned to ease the pain away with what she first thought was Holy Light. She was on her bed, among many others, where the more special ophans were raised under the guidance of the church, where an older girl she could no longer remember once called her the Holy Priestess before any other.

Asia could feel tears coming as it slowly began to sink in.

She was home.

Or at the very least, she could have been if she simply said a different word when the Prince of Hosts made his offer.

"You could have had all of this back, you know?" The woman, and it was a woman clothed in the simplicity of a nun's habit who stood in the doorway, asked genuinely curious. "You could have had your home back, you would have been in the midst of those who truly loved you, you could have walked where even angels fear to tread and received the honor only three others could claim. Why did you stay?"

The Woman was vaguely familiar, her hair a beautiful midnight blue in the faint candle-light and her eyes glowed like radiant sapphires. She smiled exactly how Asia pictured one of the saints would and stood before her with the bearing of a woman that could only have been blessed by the Lord. Asia had met the Pope once, together with other children who were deemed particularly blessed by the Father, and yet even he could not compare to the woman who stood in the middle of the communal bedroom of the Vatican's Orphanage.

It took everything she could muster to stop herself from falling to her knees.

"Because..." She was on her bed, one of many in the room, as she clutched the sheets more in nervous awe rather than fear. It was like she was speaking to one of the older nuns all over again. It was almost impossible not to feel like a child who's hand got caught in the cookie jar and the woman before her was more concerned with what she was thinking rather than how to punish her.

Asia found it difficult to speak as the woman, the Saintess, even as she came to stand before the mattress she used to sleep in, in the room that had been her home for the longest time.

Still the words came, without thought.

"I am content..."

"Are you, little girl?" The Saintess, for there was nothing else she could be, glided past scattered toys and half remembered fragments to settle beside the Holy Priestess. "Are you truly happy with where you are?"

Months flashed through her eyes, weeks had passed in a single moment, days she would never forget were at the forefront of her mind, and the Priestess found her foothold. All of a sudden, the one who sat beside her was not longer so far away, and even if Michael Himself opened the Heavens and took his place beside her, she would have been able to speak with confidence. Dream or not, illusion or not, memory or not, Asia looked deep into the ocean saphire eyes of her companion and a brilliant smile graced the child, no the young lady's, expression.

If she had been paying attention, she would have noticed that the room was slowly being filled by the iridescent glow of an aurora.

"Is there any greater Love than this?" The words came unbidden, and through her smile she could feel tears forming as she mourned a lifetime past and remembered the promise of a future than had yet to come. "To lay down a life for one's friends?"

"Enemies disguise themselves with their lips," She replied easily, doubt in her eyes and yet even deeper was a love that Asia did not understand. "but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them for seven abominations fill their hearts."

"Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." Asia rose to defend those she chose and those who chose her in turn. "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

"Who among you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?" The Saintess took a step back, but in doing so she forced Asia to confront a more terrible truth. "If they, who are EVIL, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Terrible power filled the air before the proclamation came, straight from the mouth of the second greatest king according to ancient tradition. "Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver."

"He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God." Asia finished effortlessly, her eyes, though filled with fear, did not waver before the Saintess, despite the Holy Power that filled the older woman. " As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after My sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness."

"I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." The Saintess finished the verse, obvious pride coloring her expression as she took the younger woman's hand within her own. "Your path will be difficult, child, with danger surrounding you from all sides. You may still return, there is still time to do away with this mission and join the rest of the faithful. You need only say the word, little one, and all will be well with you."

"Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no Evil." And with those words, the beautiful woman and the dream of her old home began to fade. "For there is no greater Love than this, to lay down one's life for ones friends."

"Then go child," It was but a voice now, though any sign of femininity faded when the speaker roared the proclamation with the sound of thunder, of the plates earth moving, of the flood once more drowning the world. "And know that like your predecessor, Tarrasque bestows upon you his Blessing."

It would be later in the day when Asia notices that one of the twin rings she had since as long as she could remember disappeared and instead of silver, a band of gold hung upon her finger.


End file.
